


We Only Said Goodbye with Words

by mygiu



Category: The Mindy Project
Genre: beyonce pad thai, dandy, the mindy project - Freeform, tmp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-15
Updated: 2014-04-01
Packaged: 2018-01-15 19:19:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 33,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1316308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mygiu/pseuds/mygiu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set at the start of Season 2 - A series of dreams have been haunting Mindy ever since she traveled to Haiti... A dream about a certain night on the on call room, and the ramifications of it. As her mind keeps on sending her stronger messages, she begins to wonder: She chose to change her life, but did she choose the wrong guy to spend it with?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"There was just…  _a little smudge_ "

Danny's eyes wondered helplessly towards her lips. Mindy did not see this coming: Having him so close made her head fuzzy, and she could only focus on the way his heavy breathing reached her cheeks. Her ears were left ringing with the soft touch of his hands when he had carefully placed her glasses back on. What's more, she could still feel the warmth of them on both sides of her face.

They were frozen right there, just gazing into each other's eyes for what it seemed like forever. Suddenly Mindy gasped a bit, almost realizing something.

"I got back together with –"

Before she could finish the sentence, Danny crushed his lips against her. After a few seconds he backed away slowly, with eyes closed so he could not see her reaction. When he started to look at her again he could see the shock on her face, and his stomach dropped within a second.

"You shouldn't have done that" she muttered

"I…"

Mindy pressed her index and middle finger on Danny's mouth, shutting him up. The look that followed gave Danny a little hope, because at least she seemed moved by the moment. He grabbed her fingers and moved them away from his lips. He squeezed her hand against his chest gently, transmitting that seemingly never-ending warmth that emanated from him. The silence that proceeded for the next ten seconds left him wondering what to do next. He let go of her hand, yet she did not remove her fingers from his chest. Without breaking contact between their eyes, she approached him. When she was 5cm away from his face, she stood still. Danny didn't know if it was hesitation or fear, or maybe even the expectation that brought her to a halt, but every fiber in his body told him to go for it again. He brushed his temple against hers, and kissed the corner of her mouth, this time more tenderly. Mindy's fingers curled up on the collar of Danny's scrubs. This time she seemed to reciprocate the feeling. She once again felt his palms on the side of her face, and it was almost a relief; like she had been aching from the loss of his touch.

As he deepened the kiss they gained more confidence and steadiness, and seconds later she lounged herself on top of him, his back falling on the arm of the couch. Danny's fingers tangled in Mindy's newly cropped hair just as she was caressing the back of his neck, and it felt to her like an inside joke that minutes prior to this he was hating on her new do. She laughed against his lips, and he seemed to get the irony of the moment.

Mindy could feel every inch of Danny's body pressed against her, and though she was still to understand what was going on, she was sure she didn't want to stop it. She couldn't help herself from moaning a little when he gently bit her on her neck, his hands tracing all the way down and finding their way inside her pants. With a deep inhale she broke free from his mouth and then…

She woke up.

She sat up, her eyes wide with shock. She felt the hard ground below her, and saw grass on her palms. She looked around: The small, dirty tent seemed even smaller in the middle of the dark. She patted the floor near her and found her glasses. When she put them on the remembrance of the dream made her shiver.

Now that she could see better she inspected her surroundings, trying to wash away the vivid sensation of the dream that made her whole body tingle. There wasn't much too look at really: to her left, against the tent wall, she found her suitcase, which was now working as a night stand too. And to her right… was Casey. Dear perfect Casey, all elbows, penis, heart and selflessness. He looked even more handsome and innocent when he was sleeping. She adored him so much. Too bad the snoring hadn't been solved during their time in Haiti. She caressed his hair, and at the touch of it she had another vivid reminiscence of the dream sequence. A wave of guilt washed over her. She needed to get out of that tent immediately; she needed to  _breathe._

Mindy covered herself with a poncho (actually, the one she had bought on the Santa Fe trip) and carefully tip toed out of the tent.

The night was unusually cool, and she instantly wrapped her arms around herself while she took a few steps around the tent. She sighed heavily.  _What the fuck was going on with her?_  This dream had been haunting her every night since they had arrived to Haiti. The level of detail she was gaining with each night was almost embarrassing. Each night she and Danny went further and further, and she hated to admit there was a little pang of excitement each time she went to bed, wondering how far they would go that night.

During the day, however, she could barely think about anything: Haiti was in great need of doctors, and she actually felt empowered by all the work she achieved everyday. She truly felt like she was making a change there.

And Casey had been truly supportive: He had found her a job in the nicest ward of the hospital so she could be as calm and safe as possible (they even had a little radio in which she would try to tune in (unsuccessfully) to Ryan Seacrest's radio show).

The only downside to this experience was that they barely saw each other. It was ironic that she had flown all the way there to be with him, and yet they shared only five or six hours a week together. Also, the fact was that the lousy tent provided near to none intimacy made things even harder.

At first Mindy had blamed these devilish dreams on the fact that she missed her alone time with Casey. But as days went by, she started to feel freaked out about the recurrence of the scene.

She had left things with Danny in an awkward stage for sure. She had been taken aback by his mysterious attitude that night: Those crazy seconds in which he had placed his smoldering eyes over hers had definitely sent shivers down her spine. Mindy had never even considered that he could look at her that way. Yes, Josh had said she was ignoring a "thing" between her and Danny, and that moment on the plane had been intense, but all of that had been shoved to the back of her head once Christina showed up. He clearly still loved her, and she was really happy to see him let go a little.

However, the thing that shocked her the most about that night on the resting lounge was the clear disappointment in his eyes when she told him she was going away. Sexual tension she could deal with (her new hair made her irresistible, she couldn't blame Danny for it) but true feelings were another thing! Was he actually going to miss her? So she actually registered on his mind? The thought alone was just plain weird.

Eight weeks had passed since that day though, and Danny had made no effort whatsoever in getting in touch with her. Betsy and Morgan sent her emails daily, and also twitted a lot of pictures from the office for her to see. The only clue Mindy had that Dr. Castellano still existed was a TwitPic in which you could see the back of his neck on the far left corner.

Mindy took out her cell phone and opened up some pictures of the going away party. She missed her hair so badly. She had proven the Mia Farrow pixie cut was a success with Casey, but her long locks were her signature and she felt a little naked without them. She smiled to herself going through the photos. She really missed the gang. Then a picture of Danny and Christina flashed in the screen, and for the first time she felt uneasy at the sight of these two together. The Danny of her dreams had taken over her imagination, so it seemed just…  _wrong_  of him to be with someone else.

The creak of a branch made her heart falter.  _What the heck was that?_  She used the phone as a flashlight, searching all around her. There was nothing there, apparently.

A few seconds more went by and suddenly something brushed against the side of her leg.

\- SNAKE. SNAKE! SNAAAAAAKE! OH MY GOD, CASEEEYYY! HELP! - she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Casey jumped out of the tent in his boxers and an umbrella on his hand. Swinging it violently on the ground he ran up to Mindy.

\- MINDY? WHERE IS IT? STEP AWAY FROM MY BELLA, EVIL CREATURE... Oh wait, I can't see anything. Mindy, where are you?

\- Here I am Casey! Oh god, help me, I can feel it running near me!

\- They don't run honey, they slither… Where are you, seriously?

\- Seriously, don't patronize me Casey! I am here. Now come and get me, dammit! I think I'm near a slope…

\- Point me towards your soul baby!

\- Here, look! - Mindy flashed her cell phone at him, and it turned out they were almost next to each other. Mindy screamed in terror and Casey instinctively swinged her umbrella at her. She stepped back in horror and fell back on the slope, screaming as she went down.

\- MINDYYYY! I'm so sorry!

Silence.

\- Mindy?!

\- Oh… Casey… I can't get up... And I'm soaked. Great - she whined from the dark.


	2. Chapter 2

Mindy arrived to JFK at midnight. She had flown in with another doctor who thankfully helped her off the plane (She couldn't handle the crutches yet).

Gwen was waiting for Mindy at the arrival doors.

\- Honestly, this is like the worst situation ever. What am I going to tell people at work?  _–_ Mindy said as they got into the car.

\- Um, kooky suggestion but, how about you tell them you broke your leg? Cause that actually ** _is_**  what happened!

\- You want me to tell them the truth? Ugh! The notion! – Mindy looked out the window in disgust.

\- I know, right?  _–_  Gwen said teasingly _-_  But sometimes you don't get to choose. Look baby, you tried. I know you did your best and it's not your fault this happened. These things happen, you know?

Mindy fell silent.

\- What? – said Gwen, looking sideways at Mindy.

\- It kind of was… my fault – Mindy muttered sheepishly

\- What do you mean?

\- I mean I stepped out there into the wild, in the middle of the night, alone... I had it coming!

\- Had what coming? Falling down a slope after your priest boyfriend accidentally hit you with an umbrella?

\- Uh-huh

\- You are insane Mindy

\- That assessment is correct! My life is such a mess. Even Bridget Jones was able to solve an international political affair before returning home from a wild, exotic country. I got… nothing. _–_ She said in a defeating manner.

\- But I thought it was Mark Darcy who saved her!

\- What the heck?! Read the book Gwen, I told you a thousand times! She gets out of jail all by herself. You know I am all for Colin and Renee, but they messed up that part big time.  _–_  Mindy said in a rage attack.

\- Okay, okay, chill out please… I see there is no reasoning with you tonight.

\- You just pushed a button. I'm sorry.  _–_ She said now more calmly.

\- It's okay. Anyway, you want to come to my place? You can sleep over and then I can drive you home and help you unpack tomorrow.

\- No, its okay, just take me home.

\- You sure?

\- Yeah, I'm dying to see my bed.

The highway lights beamed and zoomed past Mindy's face. Slowly, as the car went by, a familiar and comforting silhouette started rising on the horizon: it was dear New York City. Mindy felt her heart start to beat again, shy but steady against her chest. A few minutes of silence later they officially arrived in the city, and as Gwen started driving towards Mindy's neighborhood she asked:

\- Incidentally, now that you brought up the subject: What  _were_  you doing up at night?

Mindy pretended to be asleep. Gwen knew better than to believe that, but she cut her some slack. She had a brief idea of what her friend was going through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys I know it's been a while, I'm really sorry for the ones who were following the story! I've been having some crazy weeks but don't worry, I have more coming really soon! I have one more chapter in the editing stages and one in the making. I hope you tune in to keep on reading! Thank you thank you thank you for your comments and patience! Most likely I will upload the new chapter tomorrow :)


	3. Chapter 3

12 hours later Mindy woke up exhausted, quite ironically. She stretched in bed, not even remembering where or who she was. Those last few weeks in Haiti seemed a distant dream now. Feeling the warmth and softness of her duvet and the fluffy pillows she remembered she was home and was elated at first. But the minute she tried to sit up she felt a strong, shooting pain on her leg. That spasm brought her back to reality.

Right. She was back on NYC. Right. Her leg was broken.

Right.

Right, right right…

_Fuck._

She looked around and contemplated her bedroom glowing with the morning sunshine. All her photos, perfumes and magazines were in the same exact position she had left them. The stillness of the room made her think it seemed like only yesterday they were here discussing the imminent trip with Casey. Then she looked down at the foot of the bed and discovered her voluminous suitcase laying there, all covered in Haitian dirt. 56 days away from home. How quickly it had flown by.

With a bit of effort she was able to stand up on her own. She decided it was time to pay a little visit to work. She was quite curious whether they had already hired a doctor to replace her (Betsy would start crying every time she approached the subject on Skype. Mindy was starting to think she was faking it to dodge the conversation). Her mind started reeling: How would she be received by her co-workers? Oh god… Would she even have a job to come back to?  _Okay, relax. First thing's first Mindy._

It took a while but she managed to look quite decent. First off was a decent bath (she was really glad to have a hand shower in this situation), then some pampering with all the creams and lotions she so dearly missed. And finally, she limped her way to the best door of her apartment: her walk-in closet. Her eyes almost watered at the sight of all her bright, sunny skirts, blouses and vests. She even hugged them for a while and mumbled: "Let's never  _ever_  split again".

Feeling a little more composed, she sat on the kitchen and ate some chips off the pack from the plane – probably to gain some more time as she was a bit anxious about returning to the clinic.

When she was nearly out the door, she stopped to check herself on the mirror. She combed her slightly longer bob and adjusted her glasses. Then the idea occurred to her: it was the first night in weeks she hadn't dreamed of Danny.


	4. Chapter 4

The minute Mindy walked through those elevator doors her stomach dropped. What was she doing? She wasn't ready to face this. She was still having trouble handling those damn crutches and so every step seemed like an eternity.

You are wearing flats! FLATS! There is no greatness in this whatsoever! This is anything but a triumphal return. Such a mistake, Mindy, such a mistake…

To her surprise though, it turns out everybody was extremely excited to have her back. Betsy almost jumped on top of her, hugging her tightly for at least 30 seconds (then she was removed by force). Jeremy and Morgan helped Mindy up and escorted her to the coffee break area where they proceeded to tell her everything about the past days. Mindy was surprised no one made jokes but instead was caring and supportive of her arrival. The time for bullying will come next, she thought when she saw the "Mindy pool" was still written on the blackboard.

It turns out they had hired a temp doctor but they all knew he wasn't gonna cut it. The former model turned OBGYN was a nice addition to Shullman & Associates if you were in it for the looks. But as it turns out Mr. Leotard was a bit of a philanderer for pregnant women, which was even disturbing to Jeremy.

\- So that is saying a lot, really. – assured Morgan

\- Morgan! – Jeremy elbowed Morgan with an awkward laugh

\- Today we sent him to the clinic where he'll be assisting Dr. Castellano with the delivery of a baby. – continued Betsy

Mindy felt her heart pound a little stronger when she heard Danny's name. She had, at first, associated his absence with one of the last conversations they had had: "I probably won't be here when you come back". The mental picture of Danny in a tractor made her smile. She felt somewhat relieved, yet nervous at the same time. So… she would have to deal with him. And not only in person, but also in her dreams that night. She swallowed.

\- Do you want us to take you to the clinic? We can fire Mr. Firecracker right away, and you can also say hi to Danny. – said Jeremy over-enthusiastically

\- Oh, no! – she rushed to say – I mean, guys… I just came today to say hello. I don't think I will be coming back full time for now, with the leg and all… Plus, it would be kind of fun to have an assisting doctor while I catch up.

Everyone was a bit disappointed at this but said nothing out of first-day courtesy. Mindy stayed there all day filling in some paperwork and re-organizing her office (Well, she made Betsy do it for her, of course. An injured lady must be attended to).

When she was about to leave later in the afternoon, Morgan offered to take her home in his new car. Mindy hesitated but ultimately didn't decide against it as her crutches were still killing her muscles. He left her on the entrance of the clinic's building and went to pick up the car. As everyone kissed her goodbye and left, Mindy thought that at least the weeks with Mr. Leotard had paid off for Betsy: she and Jeremy seemed closer than ever. She watched them from the door as they left together; teasing each other and blushing like two teenagers. She would have never seen that coming.

Just as Morgan was pulling down his car on the verge of the sidewalk, two people entering the building bumped into Mindy's left crutch, causing her to lose stability. Just as she was falling (and almost as if it was a slow motion scene) she recognized a familiar face: It was Dr. Daniel Castellano, looking at her with a mix of confusion, anger or worse… disgust? When she was about to hit the ground someone caught her.

\- Whoa! Honey, gotta be careful! - Said the man who helped her up.

Mindy grabbed her crutches again and turned to look at her savior. A handsome, dark-haired face welcomed her with a huge, wide grin.

\- Dr. Leotard, nice to meet you.


	5. Chapter 5

She didn't get much sleep that night. It was all a blur. By six, she woke up in a sudden panic attack at the last vivid image of the haze. With her hand she dried her forehead drenched in sweat.

What should have been a pleasant, fleeting dream now haunted her like a bad memory. The whole dream sequence went from light to dark every three seconds, so she could only compose the full picture after a while.

Mindy pushed herself up on the bed and turned on the light switch. Disregarding the throbbing pain on her leg, she tried to focus on remembering the (or what now seemed like a) nightmare: she was comfortable in her bed, wearing her red lingerie body she reserved for special occasions. The light went out and next thing she saw her nails clenched into someone's bare shoulder. The lights went out again and then the lingerie flew off. The steamy dream went further and further, as her mystery lover intensified all her senses and pressed all the right spots. Her breathing became harder and so did the thrusts against her body. She felt they were both going to climax at the same time. The lights went out again and then, with one big moan of pleasure, the lights reappeared and she was able to see his face.  _It was Danny,_ his back arched on top of her, releasing himself inside of her. Then he discovered her as well, but the look he gave her chilled every bone in her body. It was the same exact expression as before on the street: confused, angry, then disappointed. The lights went out for good this time, as Danny's face disappeared with his eyes intent on her. Mindy felt smaller and smaller and smaller until she was swallowed by the bed.

WHAT.

THE

WHAT?!

She stood up, remembered for the one thousand time about her leg, and sat down again muttering insults to herself. Immediately after that she picked up the phone and called Gwen.

Let's just say she tamed the story down: She told her about the Haiti dreams but only that she kept on re-living the "almost kiss" situation, not that it lasted longer every night. And regarding the dream she had just had she only said it had been a steamy kiss, and then that "look". The truth was she felt quite embarrassed to open up to her friend about her dirty mind.

\- Well, don't you think…? – started Gwen but was interrupted.

\- And please let's state the obvious: it's been a long time so yes, I'm horny. That's a given and therefore has nothing to do with the meaning of the dream. - she said defensively.

\- Mindy, you didn't even let me start.

\- Okay, just saying.

\- Okay. Now… Option A: Is it possible you care more about Danny than you are willing to admit? - she let out shyly.

\- Horny, Gwen, horny! I already told you this. This is not about Danny. - Mindy snapped.

\- Well, I would agree honey. After all, we all have some skanky dreams about our TV crushes sometimes. But how come you never dreamed about Casey, not once since Haiti? Danny seems to be the pattern here.

\- Non sense. How dare you? Do you want me to call Alex? Is that what you want?

\- Okay, shhh! Then, second theory: You are worried about what people are going to think about you being back from Haiti so soon.

\- Continue… - Mindy muttered, interested.

\- You sum it all up on Danny because he's the only one that looked at you the way you thought you be looked at. Like a disappointment.

\- Whoa, harsh Gwen.

\- I'm not saying you are, Min! Im just stating that maybe that's the way YOU are looking at yourself right now.

\- I… I'm so tired Gwen. I can't keep on sleeping like this. That bastard. He doesn't know how to communicate even a feeling but when it comes to staring it turns out he is Channing fucking Tatum. Dammit. He's screwing up my mind!

\- I think you are way too harsh on yourself darling. Plus, look at the bright side! At least now that you went all the way, these Danny dreams are done!

Mindy nodded, but she didn't really agree. Something told her this was just the start of something...  _something._


	6. Chapter 6

After forcing herself to rest up, Mindy decided to return to work. She needed to face things with Danny, at whatever cost it maybe.

She travelled to the office listening to "Can't Hold Us" by Mackelmore, feeling her inner Beyonce Pad Thai surface ready to kick some ass (metaphorically, of course. She was still crippled).

She held her head high as she entered the building of the practice. Waiting for the elevators door she clicked her fabulous red heels (which where KILLING her, but looked amazing) to the beat of the music. Once she entered the practice she hid her iPod and walked gracefully to the empty reception counter where she threw her coat a-la-"Devil wears Prada". However, the coat slid through the unusually clean counter and fell on the floor just as Danny was walking by. He was reading a chart intently and stepped all over the coat, not stopping for a second and heading directly into his office.

\- Hey! – She yelled at him just as the door banged closed. Mindy swore she saw him smirk a little.

At that moment Betsy came out of the bathroom and also tripped on Mindy's coat, falling over it.

\- Oh my god! My coat is road kill! What the heck!? Betsy, get up now!

\- I'm sorry Dr. Lahiri. But you really shouldn't put this on the floor.

\- What's with the formality Betsy? Call me Dr. L!

\- Well, it's just that we have all grown used to calling Dr. Leotard that.

\- Wait, what?!  _He stole my nickname?_

\- No, we just found it funny you guys were both named… - Betsy shut up when she saw Mindy's expression. She seemed about to burst with rage. - Do you want the charts? – said Betsy timidly.

\- Yes, please. – Mindy said restrained.

Morgan entered the reception then wearing a pair of rollers. He skated towards the girls and came to a halt making a dramatic, "ice queen" pose.

\- Morning ladies.

\- What are you even wearing Morgan? You know we can't use these at work. Jeremy banned these since the 2010 drinking debacle!

\- Oh, but they are approved now! Dr. L gave them to me! And let me tell you,  _everybody_ here loves them. Even Dr. Reed! I can get to each room faster and I bring everybody lunch without having to wait for the slow take out errand' boys! I am even training the dogs to use me as a human sleigh.

\- "Dr. L" gave them to you, huh?

\- Oh, no wait, don't get mad...

\- I am not mad Morgan. I am just going to have a word with that dude. Who does he think he is? Stealing my name, making himself the fun master of the office… Where is he? – She hissed.

\- There – pointed Betsy in awe.

Paul walked through the elevator doors just then and a sudden wind blew his silky hair from his forehead. He ran his fingers through his locks with eyes closed and the morning light shone on his perfect features, causing a slow motion moment. Betsy, Mindy and even Morgan stood there looking at him in admiration.

\- There she is! Paul Leotard – Paul said cheerfully, extending a hand out to Mindy. Then he seemed to reconsider and decided to hug Mindy tightly for a long time and, to be honest, she quite enjoyed it.

\- Uh, hi. Yes. Hello, hello again… Dr. Mindy Lahiri. We met, yesterday – she said sheepishly as he let her go.

\- Ah, yes. A legend indeed – he said with a huge grin.  _He could "smize" for Christ sake. This was ridiculous. He was even better looking than her!_

\- If I may ask, why are you a doctor? You could be a model. Anyone can be a doctor – she let slip, still dazed by his looks.

\- I actually thought about modeling. – Dr. Leotard said reflexively, and made a dramatic pause - … And then I was scouted and became one!

\- You did?

\- Yes, but it's a very shallow life you see. This way, I can help little, pretty women as yourself and also give them the Clooney "ER" fantasy they have always wanted – he said and winked an eye at Betsy, who giggled a bit.

\- Okay, I've got a lot of work to catch up on. I'm going to my office. – said Mindy

\- Oh, it's… it's my office at the moment. – Laughed Paul – We can share if you want!

\- You gave him… my office? – She asked Betsy, who hid under the counter as she mouthed an apology.

\- Nice decoration by the way. I'm really into the "folksy meets modern" too. Although you may want to reconsider those huge lamps. – Dr. Leotard added.

Mindy grunted with exasperation and went into her office followed by the other Dr. L.


	7. Chapter 7

The following days went by without a lot of hazard, but the inner strength Mindy had mustered up to talk to Danny came in no use. Dr. Castellano went from delivery to delivery, always in a rush and ill-tempered. A few times he passed by Mindy's (and now Paul's) door, but even though she yelled at him he flew by and never even took a glance in her direction. She started to feel like Harry Potter when Dumbledore avoided him at Hogwarts. Except she was sure she was no horrocrux and Danny was anything but a kind bearded old magician.

The only conclusion she could come to was that he was angry at her. Maybe he had thought he had finally gotten rid of her, and Mindy had ruined his plans by coming back.  _Well, fuck him she thought. I'm sorry I didn't live up to people's expectation. Big fucking deal._  She decided that, if he was ever to talk to her again, she would freeze him out and strut away in a manner of Naomi Campbell.

However, by Friday Danny hadn't even uttered a word to her, and now she was starting to feel kind of depressed. She kept on having these flashbacks of their steamy dream and the look of disappointment in his eyes. She felt rather abandoned and didn't even know why. To top it all, Mindy knew she was too proud to approach him and finish the situation, so she remained in her office all day finishing catching up on all the cases they had attended to while she was away.

By the end of the day she was so tired she only dedicated herself to watching Dr. Leotard work on his laptop (he was truly annoying but remarkably fascinating to watch).

\- Okay Dr. L, other Dr. L. I'm leaving! Do either of you need anything else? – said Betsy as she waltzed in their office at noon.

\- Oh, I'm actually on my way out too – said Paul – Do you want me to walk you home? – He said seductively.

\- Oh that's okay, I… - she began to say but was interrupted.

\- She's already got company. – declared an angry, posh voice. It was Jeremy popping up behind Betsy.

\- Shall we? – He asked Betsy with a little bow. Betsy giggled and nodded. – Okay, bye now! – Jeremy said as he shot Dr. Leotard a snidely look.

\- Bye! – Mindy waved at them. She really liked where things were going with those two. – So, you are leaving too, Paul?

\- Not if you don't want me to, sugar. If I recall correctly, we are the last ones in the office. – He said tracing circles with his index finger on the desk they shared. Mindy felt a little disgusted and attracted at the same time. She understood now why everyone wanted to fire him yet couldn't seem to do it.

\- Uhm, I'm okay thanks. I think I'll finish with these and head home later – she said pointing at some charts.

\- Okay then. Have a good night, bella. Call me if anything comes up.

Paul approached Mindy and cupped her face with both hands. She was stunned and a little worried about what might come next, but he just squeezed her cheeks and sighed.

\- Ah, such a dazzler. – He whispered.

Paul walked away and left Mindy with a mix of confusion and breathlessness. Soon after he was gone she put on her headphones with some chill music and was able to focus on her paperwork again. To her surprise, she ended up working until 9pm.

Afterwards she packed up all her belongings and headed out the door. When she was walking to the elevator she stepped on her headphones' chord accidentally and they dropped from her ears. Now that she could hear her surroundings, something got her attention: the office was dead quiet, but she was almost sure she could hear a high pitched sound in the back of the reception. Thinking it may be some kind of alarm, she followed the sound until it became a little clearer. The noises she was hearing were actually notes, and they came from within Danny's office. She pressed her ear to the frosted glass door. Mindy could tell Danny was trying to play "My Funny Valentine". She had a reduced music taste, true, but this song she new. His dad used to play the Frank Sinatra version over and over when she was a kid, and she had always remembered the song because of its particular lyrics. As a child, and even growing up, she couldn't quite grasp why this man thought it would be a good idea to serenade his lover by pointing out all her flaws. Still, each time she heard it she thought it was one of the most romantic songs that ever existed.

Without even realizing it she opened the door and saw Danny jump, scared to his bones.

\- WHAT THE… - he gasped.

\- Sorry! – Mindy said apologetically.

\- What are still doing here Mindy?! – Danny let out in a rage.

\- I was working!

\- Well, it's late! And you don't knock? Oh my god, you nearly gave me a heart attack… - he said putting a hand to his chest. He sat down again and Mindy sat in front of him.

\- Aw, come on, don't be such a wooz. At least I got you to talk to me.

\- What are you talking about? – he said looking down.

\- I'm talking about you being rude, mister. You've been avoiding me all week! Now, I know you are disappointed in me but…

\- Disappointed? – he said snapping his head back up.

\- Yeah, there's no need to hide it Danny. I know I'm a big flop. I know everyone was just waiting for me to fail and…

\- Wait, I'm not disappointed at you. – He said with furrowed brows

\- Angry?

\- No

\- Frustrated?

\- Occasionally. But not now, nah – he teased her.

\- Well then what the heck is it? What was that look you threw me the other day?

\- I… I don't know what you are talking about. I mean sure, it was a bit of a shock to see you here but… I mean, I didn't even expect you to go so, I just assumed you would stay in Haiti.

\- Oh… so you are not disappointed because I left? – Danny shook his head. Mindy continued - Or because I didn't stay in Haiti? – He shook his head again - Or…

\- No, not at all. – Danny assured her placing a hand on her knee.

\- But I never heard from you since I left.

\- Well – he shifted uncomfortably, backing away – I've been busy. Plus, you know I don't do that whole internet thing. I barely know how to use my cellphone.

\- That's all? That is all you got? – Mindy grilled him. Then he looked at her with that intense stare of his, and she felt uncomfortable enough to change the subject (which is probably what he wanted in the first place) – Was that "My funny valentine"?

\- How did you know? – Danny asked her.

\- I love that song. – She said smiling

\- Welcome back – he grinned. Then he got up and offered her a hand – Shall we?


	8. Chapter 8

Mindy and Danny walked in the elevator and when the doors closed, he looked at her.

\- What?

\- Nothing. It's weird having you back.

Mindy's stomach dropped. Danny hadn't said anything compromising, but hearing him say that  _"he had her back"_  made her queasy, in a peculiar kind of way. He almost sounded like the Danny of her endless dreams in Haiti.

\- How's it going with the hair? Still channeling the Florence Henderson look?

\- Who? – The comment took her by surprise, since she was still daydreaming.

\- Oh c'mon. The Brady Bunch! – He replied

\- Oh, that's like a movie right? – She asked

\- I can't believe I know more about a TV show than you!

\- Yeah, you know about old TV shows, hurray for you Danny!… Anyway, I'm going to take the comment as an insult and say: How dare you? My hair is fabulous – she said caressing the back of her neck

\- Is it ever going to grow? – He asked as they both stepped out of the elevator.

\- I don't know. Are you ever going to be a non asshole? – She spitted back.  _Okay, Dream Danny is definitely gone by now, she thought._

\- You gotta work on those comebacks, Lahiri. They are getting weak.

They were reaching the door of the building when Mindy noticed they were cleaning the foyer so the floor was damp and slippery. She stood there trying to figure out how to walk with the crutches and the killing red heels without breaking her other leg in the process. Danny kept on walking but suddenly noticed her companion was left behind. He looked back and without uttering a word he understood her dilemma. He came back and snatched her purse out of her hands.

\- Grab your crutches with one hand. – He ordered her.

\- What?

\- Do it – he repeated.

Mindy didn't understand this at all, but she put all her weight on the healthy leg and did as he told her to. Danny then came face to face with her and hugged her, grabbing her by the waist with both arms. In the flash of a second Mindy was utterly confused and felt her pulse going out of control. What was going on? Seconds later, she understood: Danny bent down and up quickly and in the process picked her up, carrying like a UPS sausage package (or a crippled seal).

\- Ouch, Danny, NO! Put me down! – She whined.

Danny had to steady himself from all the fuss she was making, and in order to get a better hold of her he had to put one hand under her butt.

– What are you doing with those hands mister?! – She was extremely flustered by now.

\- Stop being a baby and hold on to the crutches! You are hitting me in the calves! We are nearly out.

As soon as they crossed the double doors of the building, Danny put Mindy down quite carefully, although they were clearly in a rush to get away from each other. Mindy was still reeling with a mix of anger and embarrassment, but she appreciated this, since she assumed he would drop her off like a ton of bricks on the sidewalk.

\- Thanks – she whispered looking down.

\- No problem. Here – he said and placed her bag on her shoulder.

\- Wanna share a cab with me? – She offered him, a little more relaxed.

\- Nah, I'm actually going the other way.

\- Oh, why? Big party tonight? – She inquired now totally back to normal. Curiosity tended to win amongst all her emotions.

\- Actually... I moved. – Danny confessed.

\- Oh wow, you did? But your place was so cool! And so close to work! Where are you living now?

\- … Jersey

\- What?! – Mindy was in shock. Surely she must have heard wrong.

\- Yeah, Christina and I…

\- Christina and you?! Wait… you guys moved in to suburbia? – Mindy's face fell a little.

\- I wouldn't call it that but, yeah I guess so – He admitted.

\- Oh my god Danny! That's like major news! – She shouted and added teasingly - I can't believe you made this decision without consulting me!

\- Well, you said you'd be gone for a full year so…

\- Okay, okay, stop harassing me. But wait, I thought you said you were going to take things slower.

\- Yes but… you know. – He said, embarrassed.

\- No, I don't! But I'm happy if you are happy. – Okay. She sort of lied.

\- All I'm saying is… if I had known you wouldn't… I mean…

\- You would have consulted with me? - She said cheery

\- I could have…  _waited_. Had I known… – he said now and ended the sentence with a bit of a serious look.

Mindy opened her mouth to laugh but detected the shift in the atmosphere. Her mind was still working out what he had just told her.  _He could have waited? ...For me?_  He was looking at her, analyzing every second, waiting to see what she made of his comment.

\- What… - Was all she managed to get out.

They gazed intently into each other's eyes, Danny now dominating full on a smoldering stare. But in a matter of seconds the ambiance was ruined.

\- Mindy! - Someone shouted from across the street. It was Casey.

\- Oh my god, Casey?! What the hell?! – she screamed.

Casey ran through the street and avoided getting hit by two cars by sheer luck. He embraced Mindy and kissed her full on the lips as the two drivers screamed profanities at them. Mindy responded eagerly, a scene to which Danny looked pissed off, and a little hurt.

\- What are you doing here?!

\- I am back for a couple of days. They needed more supplies and I volunteered cause honestly… I missed you so much babe. – He admitted while he caressed her jaw.

\- And you are still together – Muttered Danny, talking mostly to himself

\- Aww… Well, look, here's Danny! – She said suddenly snapping back to reality.

\- Hey man! – Casey greeted him

\- Hey – said Danny dryly. – Okay, I'm gonna head off then

\- Yeah, a long road down to Jersey ahead, right?

Danny smiled his fakest grin.

\- Okay, say hi to Christina for me! I'll see you on Monday! – Mindy added as Danny began to walk away.

He lifted one hand in the air in a manner of  _"message received"._  She watched him blend in with the busy crowd on the streets, finally losing his sight. She felt a pang of anxiety but Casey's strong hold on her kept her from thinking any further. They hailed a cab and went back to her place.


	9. Chapter 9

The week that proceeded Casey's arrival went by in the blink of an eye, and Mindy was really happy to have him in New York again. Since Casey was only going to stay seven days (and was subletting his apartment anyways) he stayed in her apartment. She discovered (without any surprise actually) that she much rather play house here than in Haiti.

Still, things were a bit weird between them. The first night they went back to Mindy's apartment they had had the fastest dinner ever in account of the anticipation of the much needed privacy they hadn't had in Haiti. However, what was supposed to be a raunchy, animal night turned out to be the lamest sex Mindy had ever had (and she was sure the same went for him). They were so awkward around each other; it was like they had lost all true intimacy and instead replaced it with a bad porn plotline. As it was to be imagined, Mindy didn't even come close to – well –  _coming_. Nothing Casey tried did anything for her. He was like a scout boy out on a helpless mission, and she wanted to cooperate but really her mind was elsewhere. In the end they couldn't fake it and say it had been amazing, so they just blamed it on Casey's jetlag and Mindy's leg. They both went to sleep and that night, the dreams returned.  _The Danny dreams._  Only now they entailed a bizarre quality to them: There were no sexual activities or kissing or anything truly bawdy involved. They were just  _tender_.

The sequence went as following: she found herself knocking on Danny's door dressed in a purple, one-shoulder goddess gown. When he opened the door a few moments later, he looked better than ever (dressed in a black suit and tie) and she knew he had been waiting for her. Without saying a word to each other, they held hands and walked to the middle of the living. Danny grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him. Suddenly "My funny valentine" started playing on the background - it was Sinatra's version, of course, the one she remembered to perfection. They slow danced to it for a while, and when the last moments of the song came along, Danny whispered the lyrics into her ear:

"… _but don't you change one hair for me_  
Not if you care for me  
Stay little valentine stay…  
Each day is valentines day"

Mindy caressed the back of Danny's neck as he sung to her, and he squeezed her gently. When the music stopped, she buried her face on his shoulder as they kept on waltzing in silence, until the scene faded to black. She had woken up (with her head below her pillow) in the middle of the night, and feeling an excruciating sense of guilt seeing Casey by her side.

Since then Mindy kept on avoiding him at nights, claiming she had a lot of work to catch up on and would go to bed only when she'd finished. She could not bear to have that dream again, and she also didn't want to disappoint Casey below the sheets (by now she knew her body evidently responded only to her heart, and that little bastard was playing games with her).

After all that back and forth along came Friday morning, and they were both on the kitchen having breakfast. Mindy looked quite exhausted (she was afraid to even take naps at work), but Casey seemed upbeat and had prepared her a fabulous healthy breakfast which they were both eating on the counter top. After the quiet meal (typical of mornings) Casey broke the silence.

\- So, babe, I've been thinking.

\- Huh, what about? – She replied still looking at her coffee mug.

\- Well, you know I go back to Haiti tomorrow…

\- I'm gonna miss you so much – she said, almost automatically.

\- Me too! And so this is where I'm coming from… thinking, you know?

\- Okay…?

\- I know you can't go back there with your leg like that, and us there wasn't really working anyhow, right?

\- Nature conspired against us; that's a fact. – She agreed.

\- Well, so… what if we get back to our plan B? – He suggested, grabbing her hand.

\- And that was… - muttered Mindy, now looking at him with suspicion.

\- You stay here, I stay there…

\- Right

\- …but we marry before I go.

Mindy felt all the colors of her face drain, and her feet turned ice cold. She dropped her spoon on the bowl before her and started gagging.

\- Oh Mindy, no… Stress gag?

\- Sorry – She replied, gagging again and grabbing her chest with both hands – I just… hmm… I don't feel so good.

\- I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that I've been thinking this for days now

\- Days, huh? – She gagged again

\- It feels right, don't you think? I mean, I'm down with it, and though it isn't so traditional, I think my G-bud is down with it too – he said pointing up.

\- So you want us to marry today? – She asked suppressing another gag.

\- No, actually I was thinking about tomorrow morning, since it's Saturday and you can invite all your friends. It doesn't even have to be with papers. We can do it in front of my dear God and that will be it for now. We can throw a big party when I return if you want. Does that sound ok?

\- Uhm – Mindy doubted. How should she proceed? Saying no again was a definite break up route, and she didn't want to lose him. But at the same time, agreeing to this seemed insane (romantic, but most of all insane). Casey had such a hopeful face, looking at her like a puppy waiting for a treat. Out of the blue she remembered a line: "I could have waited". Danny's earnest face replaced Casey's. No. She couldn't think of him. He was taken. Not that it even mattered because he wasn't even an option, there was nothing between them. It was nothing versus everything. An infatuation versus a future husband. No. She knew better than this – Okay babe, let's do it.

\- Really? – Casey replied in awe.

\- Yeah. Tomorrow. Marriage – she forced a smile


	10. Chapter 10

Later on that Friday:

\- People, people! Listen up. Tomorrow at 12 I expect you all, and I mean EVERYONE, at my place! - Mindy announced after gathering everyone in the reception counter.

\- Did I miss a memo here? Are we having a celebration in my honor? – said Paul looking around with a goofy smile, but everyone was still distracted with their chores.

\- I'm sorry but I can't Dr. L. I am supposed to bring the puppies to the park and train them for the upcoming dog scootering tournament. – replied Morgan and he rolled away to the computer.

\- Screw the puppies Morgan, I'm getting married! – She snapped, losing her cool for a second.

Everyone became quiet for a second, and then erupted in cheers and applause. Then a general round of " _what"s,_  " _how come", "you kidding me"_ and _"to whom"s_ bombarded Mindy's ears (What do you mean "to whom" Tamara?!).

Still, she didn't care about any of their questions. She was staring at the only silent person in the room, which was of course Dr. Castellano. His reaction hadn't been a clear one: He was writing some notes on his pad on the counter when he had heard the news, and all he did was look up at Mindy, dropped his bottom lip a bit, look down and then keep on writing. She didn't expect any less of him.

That was the moment when she knew she had made the right choice. He wasn't even upset about it. All these dreams, all these theories she had in her head about their relationship for all those months, they were all rubbish. Evidently he didn't give a rat's ass about her, at least in a romantic sort of way. She felt a strong sense of disapproval beaming from him instead, but she knew he was old fashioned and would therefore think this impromptu marriage was a preposterous mistake anyway.

\- Now I am really happy for you Dr. L, but don't take it out on the puppies! – Morgan said as he approached her in a menacing way.

\- Let's calm ourselves down, fellows – intervened Dr. Leotard blocking Morgan's way – Evidently this is a big shock for all of us single guys, but the lady has been taken so… let's show her some love!

\- Dr. Lahiri, could I come over to your house and help with the decorations? – offered a teary-eyed Betsy, who was pinned to Jeremy's arm.

\- Sure, the more the merrier. – She smiled back at them – I will also need you guys to get me a cake. A classy one, please… That means no erotic pastries, Morgan! – She clarified with a warning look.

\- Dammit – Morgan let out through his breath.

\- Okay, I have to go make a call now, so get back to work and by that I obviously mean start shopping for wedding presents.

She closed the door to her office and pressed her back on it. She had accomplished the most difficult part of the day – telling  _him_  – and had survived. Talking to Gwen had been a challenge too but she had ultimately accepted it, and was even excited about it. Not only did she take on the responsibility of letting the other girls know, but she was going to pick up Mindy later that day to go buy a cocktail-ish wedding dress. So that was good.

But telling Danny… Sure, she had been a little coward; she could have had the courtesy to tell him privately but there were no explicit rules or etiquette that said so, right?.  _You should always tell your intense-staring partner slash almost married friend slash handsome jerk co worker when you are getting married to someone else?_  Definitely not. Plus he didn't seem that upset so…

 _Knock knock knock_.

She looked past her shoulder and saw the blurred outline of a man by the door. She swallowed.  _Oh no…_

\- Yes? – She called without moving an inch.

\- I have some lab results from your patient, a Mrs. Townsed. I think Tamara mixed them up. Do you have Mrs. Emerson's results by any chance?

\- Uhm, let me check – she went to her desk and browsed quickly over her papers. But she wasn't fast enough: Danny had already let himself in. – Barging in, are we? I told you I was going to make a call…

\- You are not on the phone yet – he said with a jaded side grin.

\- Ugh. Whatever. Here, there you are. – She handled the results over to him with an annoyed expression. – Bye now!

\- So, you're getting married. – He sighed as he sat down opposite her, completely ignoring her wishes.  _Oh hell no._

\- Yeah, quite a shocker, hah? – She tried her best sassy comeback.

\- I guess you can call it that… You're pregnant?

\- What?! No Danny! This is not what this is about…

\- Then what is it about? I mean, you are having this rushed wedding, it's weird! I always pictured you to be a "big ass gown in a huge church" kind of girl

\- Did you come here to preach me about my life? – She spitted. He looked somewhat offended, or maybe even a little hurt at this.

\- I was just curious but okay… I'll be heading off then – he sat up.

\- No, wait – she replied, defeated and a little remorseful – Ok, if you HAVE to know… Casey proposed to me today and, he doesn't want to wait.

\- Afraid someone will whisk you away while he is gone?

\- I don't… what – she stuttered, a little blushed at his response – No!... He's going back to Haiti tomorrow and you know, it will be long distance all over again.

\- Okay – he said trying to imply understanding, but it came off a little condescending instead.

\- And it's good for me, you know? You said it yourself a while ago. I'm not getting any younger, and I need to settle down. – Mindy continued.

\- Huh – he mused, raising one eyebrow. His silence made her feel an extreme urgency to justify all her decisions.

\- And yes, I freaked out the first time he proposed, but I've had some time to think about it… - she shuffled in her seat, uncomfortable at his powerful eyes intent on her – Also, if I say no, next thing you know I will be a gorgeous yet crazy busy OBGYN with no time at all, not even to go have dinner with my sister who has set me up on a blind date. And then on the way over to her house I will die and then I will have my spirit roaming around my former apartment hunting the new guy who has just moved in! – Okay, she was sort of yelling and definitely hyperventilating now.  _Easy girl, easy._

\- Wait, what? – He looked puzzled.

\- "Just like Heaven", Danny! We watched it on the plane? On way over to Santa Fe, remember? – That damn eyebrow didn't go down, not one inch. She knew he knew what she was talking about. She remembered vividly his rare Mark Ruffalo appreciation and how irritated he became when the annoying ghost had walked in on Mark and the slutty, nosy neighbor – Okay, whatever. The thing is… I love Reese Witherspoon, but I can't go down  _that_  track.

\- Okay… - He repeated. She had her best "I don't believe you're cool" face. - What? Don't look at me like that! I said nothing. – He replied, hands in the air as if surrendering. He insisted – Really. I mean, good for you. I'll get out of your hair now. I will see you there tomorrow. – He said as he sat up.

\- Tell Christina she's invited too – Mindy clarified.

\- Uhm, yeah. I'll see if she can make it. –He managed to say, acting weird for the first time.

Danny walked to the door and when he was about to turn the knob he stopped for a second. He turned around and smiled at Mindy.

\- You know, I can't get "My funny valentine" out of my head since last week. I almost dream about it. – (She jumped a little at this) - I can never get it right – he continued almost to himself.

\- I know the feeling – she smiled briefly, looking down at the floor.

\- Yeah. Okay, bye. – Danny left Mindy's office, leaving her with a sour taste on her mouth.


	11. Chapter 11

It was 1am when Danny's cellphone started vibrating. The light went directly into his eyes, and he shuffled uncomfortably in the bed in order to avoid the loud beeping noise that was pulling him from his sleep.

\- Danny, can you please turn that thing off? I'm trying to sleep here – moaned Christina from the other side of the bed.

\- Uhm… ugh… yes. I'm sorry… I can't turn it off. It might be a patient. – He answered in a groggy voice.

\- You can't keep on doing this to me… - she whispered.

\- Okay just, let me get it. If it's not something important I'll turn it off, promise.

Danny grabbed his phone and slid his finger through the screen. A small envelope flashed on the right far corner of the menu. He opened and it read:  _"Are you up?"._  Danny fell silent with his eyes fixed on the sentence.

\- So? Is it a patient?

\- Uhm… I don't know. – He lied. Danny texted back  _"Sleeping. What's up?"._  Almost instantly the phoned ringed again _. "Don't worry about it. TTYL"._

\- Danny… - Christina begged covering her face with the sheets.

\- I… I'll just pop outside for a second. Get back to sleep, it's okay.

\- Is it important?

\- Yeah… I gotta… You sleep, got a big day ahead of you.

\- Okay – she said nuzzling her face into her pillow. – Let me know if you have to leave.

Danny put on some slippers and walked out of the bedroom, phone in hand. He walked to his studio and lay down on the couch. The cold untouched leather made him uncomfortable since he was only wearing his boxers and an old, worn-out Springsteen t-shirt. He slid down to the ground and sat there, back against the arm of the sofa. He opened the last message again and contemplated what to do next. He was so tired: he had had a big fight with Christina before they had gone to bed, and on top of that he had to drive all the way back to Manhattan in a couple of hours to see a patient and then head off to… well, Mindy Lahiri's wedding, of all. He still couldn't believe it. And now she was texting him at midnight, god knows why.

He wrote back  _"Now you woke me up. Spill"._ She answered:  _"Everything's kind of a mess… Maybe you are right. Maybe I shouldn't be doing this"._ Danny's stomach dropped with a pinch of excitement and anxiety _. "What do you mean?"_ He answered. _"Nothing. It's okay really. Go back to sleep"._

He groaned in exasperation. It was obvious she had something to say, and he didn't really had the energy to drag it out of her, but he couldn't just go back to sleep either. He was more curious than he would have liked to admit. Defeited, he walked over to the studio's door and shut it. Then, he dialed her number.

* * *

\- Danny, what are you doing calling me? It's 1 am! – Mindy asked, perplexed. She closed the door of the guest room at Gwen's house and walked towards Carl's den.

\- Are you kidding me? You started this! – He sounded furious.

\- I told you to go to sleep! – She hissed while she tiptoed her way to the light switch.

\- Shouldn't you take that same advice? You are going to look terrible tomorrow. Plus I don't think you have been resting up well these days. Yesterday Jeremy told me he found you asleep with your hand inside the vending machine.

\- Oh, that snitch! He just caught me off guard. Oh, ouch! – Mindy complained as she tripped with a coat hanger.

\- Okay, whatever. Come on. What's up? And where are you?

\- I'm at Gwen's house… you know, the whole  _"you can't see the bride the day before"_ crap. And they are making me share a room with Riley. That kid snores like a mammoth!

\- That's what you can't be doing?

\- What? – Mindy said as she closed the door to the den.

\- You said maybe I was right, maybe you shouldn't be doing  _this._  What's  _this_? Marriage?

\- Oh… perhaps. I mean… what do you think? – She whispered as she sat on the quilted couch.

\- Do you love him? – He blurted out, a little more inquisitive than what's appropriate.

Mindy fell silent for a second. She could hear his rattled breath over the phone, waiting for the excruciating truth.

\- I think I do. But I also feel like I might end up on a loveless marriage with the epitome of the good guy… and then next thing you know I will feel too guilty to leave and then I'll end up having an affair with Clint Eastwood and - while I think I could win a legit Golden Globe for a story like that - at this moment… it does not look good. – she confessed.

\- You kind of lost me there but… I say go with your gut. I mean, you went with your gut before Haiti too, right? And whilst you made the horrible decision to chop off your hair, the rest went like you planned, right?

\- Hmm. That night was a rush of emotions though.

\- …

\- You broke it off with Christina that night too, remember? – She insisted. Mindy didn't' know where she was getting at, but it seemed like now they had enough privacy to talk about "the moment".

\- I… yes, I replay that night in my head everyday. – Danny admitted, hanging his head back on the edge of the sofa.

\- You do?... Me too. I even dreamt about it repeatedly while I was in Haiti – what was she doing?  _Shut up you psycho!_

\- Really? – Danny asked, suddenly interested. – What about?

\- Uhm, nothing in particular –  _Chicken! Tell him, you coward!_  - … Well, maybe you are right. Maybe I should go with my gut, and listen to the signs of the universe. I guess if it's meant to be it will be right? – She said now more cheerily. – Like you and Christina. You ended up with your happy ending after all.

\- Uhm, I wouldn't know about that… - Danny let out.  _What was he doing? Why was he opening up to her? Shut it Castellano!_

\- Oh… Why do you say that? What happened? – Mindy pressed on.

\- Well, these months… they have not been so great. And I think now tomorrow she may be…

\- Shhhh! Danny wait… I think I hear something.  _(a pause)_  Oh crap, I think I woke Riley.

Danny could hear a faint cry from the other side of the line.

\- Dammit. Ok, I'm sorry, I really have to go. We can finish this on Monday, okay?

\- Yeah, sure. Okay, sleep tight.

\- Thanks… Danny?

\- Yes?

\- I'm really glad you called.

\- No problem.


	12. Chapter 12

\- This feels really weird, Gwen.

Mindy looked at herself in the mirror as Gwen zipped her up in a lacy white cocktail dress. She held tight to her crutches and examined her body, which looked rather awesome but still oh so frail. She was happy she had been able to start walking on her own, even if it was slow and a little sad and bumpy. The first steps she had been able to give without the crutches had occurred last night, when Danny's call had stunned her into action. Gwen placed the headband with the short veil on Mindy's head and her gaze was clouded by the white fabric. Alex and Maggie entered the room right then.

\- Everyone's waiting for you sweety. You ready? – asked Alex.

\- Uhm…

\- Just give her a moment guys. She's taking it in. – warned Gwen

\- Taking what in? Is she high? – asked Maggie

\- What? No! – cried Mindy

\- Cause if you are feeling cold feet I might have a little  _somethin' somethin'_  for 'ya. – winked Maggie at her

\- Maggie, stop it! – Said Alex – She is trying to get everyone as high as her for the last half hour!

\- Okay, girl circle. Now! – Shouted Mindy

The four ladies gathered then: Alex sat on the floor while Mindy and Gwen sat on the edge of the bed and Maggie approached them in the wheelchair. They all stared at her with preoccupation.

\- What's going on Min? – Alex dared to ask

\- I need your honest to God opinion about this wedding. I am sensing something is off, but I can't pin point it. So I need your help. – said Mindy in a low voice

\- What do you mean? I think it's great you are marrying him – answered an uneasy Alex – I mean of course it's a bit hasty and all but… if it's right it's right, no?

\- Right, sure – said Mindy unconvinced.

\- I got a question for you actually – said Maggie. The other two girls shot her a warning look – Don't stare at me like that! It's just a simple question – she stated calmly.

\- Okay, what? – hissed Mindy

\- What makes you so batshit crazy? – asked Maggie with a wide, silly grin. – I mean why are you even considering this?! – She started to raise her voice.

\- Ooookay Maggie, sober up time! – whispered Alex and started to pull the wheelchair away from Mindy.

\- Oh my god Maggie! – Said Mindy indignantly – Get a grip! … Alex, take her to the bathroom and waterboard her to sobriety if necessary!

Alex rolled Maggie out of Mindy's room and then closed the double doors behind her. When she turned around she stumbled onto Danny. They looked at each other awkwardly.

\- Oh. Hi – said Alex dryly.

\- Hi. Uhm, Casey says he is running out of time, and the ice cream cake is starting to melt… Do you know if it will take much longer?

\- I don't know. Ask her yourself. Or have your ex-wife come over. – She shot him a dark glance and pushed Maggie to the bathroom.

\- Okay… Guess I had that one coming… - whispered Danny.

He had just cracked open the door when he heard Mindy sobbing a little. He wanted to back away but he couldn't. He could not move forward either, so he just stood there in the hall, stuck, listening to the conversation taking place in Mindy's bedroom.

\- I know Maggie was out of line but… Honestly, why are you hurrying this? – said Gwen as she caressed her best friend's shoulder.

\- Well… Gwen… if you think about it, I have spent most of my adult life believing that if a person stares at me it's either because A – I have something on my face B – It's a pervert runaway waiting to attack me. - Gwen nodded, a little amused - With Casey… I think he just wants the best for me, always.

\- I think so too. But is  _he_  the best for you?

\- How could he not be? – Mindy replied drying some tears from her eyes.

\- He can be an amazing person and love you and still he might not be what you want.  _Or what you need._  You know that honey. I know I always tell you life isn't a romantic comedy. But that doesn't mean you have to settle… there's someone out there for you who's going to make your stomach churn with butterflies and the one you can't even bare to be without. I know I have that, and I'm absolutely sure you will have that too.

Mindy looked down, helpless.

\- Yeah, maybe – she sighed

Danny's throat felt suddenly dry and soared as he heard these last few words. The truth was he felt a mixture of sadness and relief. He was beginning to feel weird standing there though, and just when he was about to go in someone tapped his shoulder. Danny jumped back, terrified. It was Casey.

\- What are you doing man? – Casey inquired.

\- N-Nothing – Danny stuttered.

\- Is she okay? Were you listening?

Gwen cracked the door open.

\- What are you guys doing? Were you listening to us?

\- Shame on you! – Mindy screamed from the back – Casey, come in! And Danny… Get a life!

\- But he can't see you with your dress on! – cried Gwen.

\- That's okay… I gotta feeling I'm not gonna walk her down the aisle either so… Mindy, my flight has been moved forward two hours… I have to leave in half an hour. Can we talk?

Mindy's head popped in the side of the door.

\- What?! Just… Gwen, keep everybody entertained for a bit. I need to speak to him. Give me a minute and then come in – she said to Casey


	13. Chapter 13

\- What do you mean you have to leave in half an hour? – Mindy yelled at Casey, tightening the robe against her body.

\- I know. The airline just called. You know these flights are hectic babe.

\- So we have to do this in what, ten minutes? – She asked, a little freaked out to be perfectly honest.

-  _Are_  we doing this babe? – replied Casey, with a questioning look. Mindy froze in place, her eyes wide with shock.

\- What are you talking about? I'm already on the goddamned dress, everyone is here; of course we are doing this!

\- I just… I would understand if you were getting cold feet about it. – Casey offered.

\- What makes you say that? Are you… are  _you_  not sure about it? – Mindy said, dodging the subject.

\- I'm sure that I love you, Mindy Lahiri. But this seems too… farfetched. I think maybe I pushed things… and God seems to be sending us all these mixed signs…

\- You think the flight being rescheduled is an act of God? – Mindy's mind was reeling, feeling confused yet liberated from the guilt-burden over her shoulders.

\- Well, you know,  _mysterious ways and all_ … also, shouldn't we feel more inclined to doing this? - He said sitting down on Mindy's bed.

\- Are you talking about the fact that I've been stress barfing all morning? – She said as she joined him - Because I'm quite sure that's due to a questionable burrito I ate yesterday at Gwen's house.

\- There goes another sign! I'm just… am I allowed to say I have some reservations even thought I was the one who proposed? - He sounded a little ashamed, and he was avoiding her gaze by looking down at the floor. She was taken aback by this comment, but it sort of made sense.

\- Well, of course you do. My feet  _are_  a bit chilly now that you mention it. - She conceded.

\- Yeah, it just feels…

\- Rushed, right? - She completed his train of thought.

Casey nodded.

\- You have to understand I was just feeling like… Like I was going to lose you if we were apart again. Ironically, marrying me is what is driving us apart. – Casey tried to explain her.

Mindy assessed his words carefully and even though she was pretty sure the estrangement had begun before the proposal, she didn't feel like going there at the moment. Instead, she just asked:

\- So now what?

\- I really like you Mindy Lahiri. – He whispered.

\- I know, me too… but what now Casey?

\- I think we put on too much stress in the relationship, like it  _had_  to go somewhere. I know you want a family, and you know I can't commit to that with Haiti still going on…

\- No, you are right. We can't force this to happen… I am guessing it would be good if we took some time to figure out what we want… You know I can't go back to Haiti. And you can't stay. Maybe by the time your trip ends we can revisit this and see if we want to get back together.

Casey nodded again.

\- So, are we breaking up? – She corroborated.

\- I guess so… - He agreed. Casey and Mindy held hands and stared at each other for a while.

\- I guess I should go tell everybody to leave… I'll help you finish packing.

\- Let me do it. I'll tell them. – He said, and kissed Mindy's forehead. She caressed his hand as he stood up. Then they let go of each other, and Casey exited the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about this weird chapter guys! It was a huge block between what I had already written and what I want to tell next, so I got through it the best way I could. More chapters coming up!


	14. Chapter 14

\- Oh, hi. – Mindy said surprised as she opened the door. She was wearing her old black sweater with the big white stars on it, and some form fitting leggings underneath. Her face looked puffy and tired, but the glasses hid most of it away.

\- You look surprised. You buzzed me in. – Danny told her, acting nonchalant.

\- Yeah, I thought you were my take out. – She replied, still confused as to what the heck he was doing there.

\- Sorry to disappoint. I forgot my coat with all the rush... – Danny explained, snooping around from the edge of the door to see the state of the place

\- You came back all the way from New Jersey because you forgot your coat? I could have brought it back to you on Monday! – Mindy asked suspiciously, a hand in her waist.

\- Yeah, I didn't – Danny answered avoiding her gaze. He let himself in almost by force, pushing Mindy aside gently and looking around the room – Where is it?

\- It's in my closet. – Danny turned back to look at her with one raised eyebrow - What? Don't give me that look… I thought it was Casey's.

\- Oh – He seemed almost disappointed by this fact.

Mindy closed the front door and walked lazily to her closet; he followed her. Once inside, Mindy started going though the hangers and Danny perched on the edge of the door. He touched some of the clothes to his left but, as Mindy approached him with a serious look, he backed away. The room wasn't big enough for them both and so they were a little too close for comfort.

She looked some more and then unhooked the coat and handed it to him. A sleeve of it was moist. He lifted it and showed it to her with a questioning look.

\- Yeah, I might have sniffed that for half an hour. And cried on it too.

\- No problem. – He said with a small side grin.

She grabbed some tissues and started rubbing them onto the sleeve. A few quiet seconds went by as she did this, and Danny could tell Mindy was putting on a brave face, but he wasn't buying it.

\- Well – She sighed and tried to get out of the room. Danny involuntarily blocked her exit.

\- So… - He said – How did everything go with…? You know – He asked casually.

\- Are you even interested in hearing this? Don't you have somewhere else to be?

\- Uhm, not really. Come on, obviously you're not okay. – He pointed out.

\- I'm always okay – she said with a deadpan expression and suddenly he remembered using that expression not that long ago. She tried to go out again and he stopped her (this time voluntarily) with one hand on her shoulder. They were centimeters away from each other.

\- Come on – he whispered. He was a little shocked to see the usual cheery Mindy so upset. He could handle angry, or excited, or even goofy Mindy, but this one was mind-boggling.

They stared at each other for what seemed like forever but in reality were 3 seconds charged of electricity. Mindy dropped her gaze and Danny felt like a pushy son of a bitch, so he backed away slowly and let her out. She headed to the kitchen and poured herself some wine. Danny remained in the walk in closet, banging his head against the door frame, hating himself for even caring.

\- I know for a fact there's some Housewives show right now and you are not watching it. That's saying something. – He tried to joke as he put on his jacket.

After no comeback, he just stood there in the hallway, figuring out what to do. Should he just leave? Every fiber in his being told him not to, but his presence there felt forced, and he was really not good at comforting people. Suddenly she said:

\- I'm gonna start talking and you better be here or walk away, there's no third choice Castellano. – She shouted at him from the counter. Danny looked up perplexed and smiled a little. He joined her in the kitchen counter.

Mindy told him briefly about the discussion with Casey over a couple of wine glasses. Somewhere in the middle the take out actually came and without even thinking about it they ended up having dinner on her couch. He listened diligently and almost never interrupted her rant. When she finished telling him what happened he asked:

\- So, he is gone?

\- Yeah, his flight left at 4pm.

\- I'm sorry. – He let out dryly, and he thought it was the most sincere thing to say.

\- Nah, it's okay. It's good to know we are in the same page. Maybe when he gets back from Haiti we can date a little again. But for now, we just… released ourselves from the unnecessary commitment.

\- Yes, commitment. That can get tricky. – Danny said as gulped down the remains of his glass.

\- Speaking of which… shouldn't you be home right now? The Mrs. is going to kill you!

\- Christina? No, she's out.

\- Where?

\- Belgium. She left a couple of hours ago.

\- What? Why didn't you mention this? What's she doing there?

\- She's got some big photography competition or something. She won't be back for at least a month. If she does well there, maybe more time. That's what I was trying to tell you last night. – He said trying to play it cool, and kept on eating and looking at the TV.

\- Shit. Just when you were working things out!

\- It's actually not that bad… Commitment wise, things were… you know, I can't get used to suburbia as much as I did before. – He admitted, still avoiding her face. – This RuPaul character is so weird, but he can sure pull off being a woman and a dude. That's insane. – He was clearly trying to dodge this conversation. But Mindy wouldn't let him; she was much too interested. If there is anything that lifted her up was gossip, and in this case it seemed to matter even more than before.

\- But did you guys break up? – She pushed.

\- Not really. We just agreed to think things over, and if anything new comes up… we should  _"notify"_  each other.

\- How very formal of you… What if she meets some random dude there? Wouldn't that kill you? – She pressed on. Danny groaned at her insistence.

\- I wouldn't like it. But if…I mean if she finds someone else at least we will know it's over for real this time. I will accept it. I know she would accept it too, if it happened to me.

\- And now you'll be living there alone? – She said and turned off the TV, to get his full attention. It worked. He turned to face her.

\- No, I'm going back to my apartment for a while. It's nearer to work, and New York… Well, I missed the city. I'll bring my stuff back over the next few days.

\- So it's open season for both of us! Watch out, New Yorkers! We are back! – She sang.

\- I'm not gonna date a bunch of random characters just for the sake of dating though. And I advise you not to do it either! – He warned her.

Mindy smiled involuntarily and pinched his face teasingly. He pushed her hand away from her face in a tender way, lingering on her face a few seconds, his mouth dropping a bit as he inhaled her perfume. He then snapped back into reality.

\- Okay, I should go. – He said stretching a bit and putting his plate on the coffee table - It's getting really late and I have a delivery early tomorrow.

\- Oh! On a Sunday? Who is it? Ms. Carraway? – She said as they both got up, shaking the tension off and carrying the dishes to the sink.

\- Yeah, a C-section, at six a.m. So I better have my game on.

\- I have to be there too, I have a lot of charts to catch up on! So yay! I get my subway partner back!

\- Just because you can walk a little doesn't mean you can climb stairs Lahiri! If you think I'm going to help you with those crutches down and up the stairs of the subway you are insane. – Her face dropped a little and he again felt like a douche. He quickly added - We can share a cab though. Pick you up at five thirty?

\- Sure. I'll be ready. – She grinned at him. Mindy opened the door and he exited putting his coat on - Uhm, thanks for coming. – She added.

\- I came back for the coat. – He stated with a confused _, "I'm so macho I don't have feelings"_ expression.

\- Yeah, okay. Sure – She smiled her sweetest smile.


	15. Chapter 15

The weeks that followed that night were a relief for Mindy. She buried herself in work and felt that at least being proactive beat the shit out of staying at home wallowing. Maybe this was a new side of her, she thought quite proudly: maybe the new Mindy didn't need processed food, a shopping marathon or rebound sex to get her life back on track. She was now on a road to self discovery and no one could stop her. And sure, she had her moments of weakness, but she had found a new ally for those dark times. No, not vodka. No! Not Keeping Up with the Kardashians  _(Rude!)._  She had found Danny.

You see, as the memory of the fight with Casey began to fade, Mindy allowed herself to start dating again. But this time she was more thorough in her search for the perfect guy, and Danny was helping her with it. They had developed this system – a  _"Was he a man?"_  sort of system - with 10 key questions the guys had to pass before the second date ever happened.

\- You need to be methodical. If these guys can't make it past that questionnaire, throw them out. No good? No need to explain,  _buh bye_. – Danny explained with downright determination.

\- Isn't no.8 a little harsh? – Mindy asked as she read the list on her Ipod.

\- What was that again?

\- I mean, asking for a complete medical check up on a first date might be a bit intimidating – She mused and sipped on her drink.

\- If they got nothing to hide, they'll do it. Trust me. Last thing you need is a yeast infection down there – He pointed out as he chew on a slice of pizza.

\- Oh god! That's a little uncalled for, okay? Here, clean yourself, you are making a mess – she said, gently dabbing her napkin on his mouth.

Behind these tough truths, Mindy had an ulterior motive to hang out with him. She had discovered that, the longer she spent during the daytime with Danny, the less she would dream about him. He wasn't totally erased from her nights though: every now and then she would have these fleeting images of them together in different romantic scenarios. But she wasn't so victimized by them anymore, because she could differentiate the dream Danny from the actual Danny. "Actual Danny" was a bit murkier, with a tendency to rant about modern life, patients and TV shows, but somehow Mindy liked him better. He, at least, was  _real._

But anyway, the experiment they were carrying out turned out to be quite a flop: Mindy always ended up texting Danny for half of the date, sending him photos of the guys when she thought they weren't looking, etc. And even though no guy ever made it to date no. 2, she committed herself to always find more man. As for Danny, he didn't ask for this situation. Okay, maybe a little. Maybe he should have stayed out of the whole thing, but being "not single" had taken a toll on his social life and also he felt quite protective of Mindy. Something at the back of his head advised him not to get  _"friendzoned",_  but at the same time it gave him a slight comfort to know things weren't working out.  _Cruel, I know._

A few months went by with this little routine of theirs, and all seemed right with the world. In spite of this, he had this chill on his back every time she left the practice ready for another date. " _Is this it? Is this the day you lose her?"_ His mind sometimes wondered. It never happened, but the fear kept him guessing.

* * *

When Mindy met Gwen in the salon, it had been officially 3 months since Casey's departure. She had wanted to commemorate this milestone by going in to the hairdresser for the first time since the infamous pixie cut. Her hair was a bit longer now - shoulder length - and she could almost tie it all up in a ponytail, which was the most exciting news ever around those days.

\- Marcia, nothing drastic, please! I just want to even up the odd ends and give it a bit of style if you know what I mean. I'm thinking Nicole Richie this year, but without the bangs. I can't handle bangs. Too high maintenance and they make me look wishy washy. Okay?

\- So honey, what's the news these days? Any other interesting date ahead? – asked Gwen while going through a magazine.

\- Why do you say it like that? – Mindy replied, eyes squinting as her wet hair was pulled back.

\- I'm just asking!

\- Yes, sure you are Gwendolyn. I see the look you give me. Is this about Danny? – She insisted.

\- Well, I wasn't going to say anything but, see? You brought him up again! – Gwen pointed out.  _Shoot,_ Mindy thought. Gwen had set the trap and she had fallen _riiiight_  in it.

\- Oh my god, I am literally going to stab you to death with these hair rollers!

\- I'm just saying Mindy… this little game of yours, this silly "system", is getting a bit old. Why doesn't he ask you out already? – She said in a nonchalant way, still avoiding eye contact with Mindy.

\- It's not like that between me and him. He is still with Christina for god sake!

\- She hasn't returned from her trip though…

\- She's got a job there, so sue her! I'm appalled Gwen, you should be empowering women, not beating them down! ... Plus, I'm sure she will be home in time for the holidays and then everything will get back to normal. – Mindy finished with a bit of a gloomy look.

\- Now is not normal? – Gwen asked, surprised at the fact that Mindy was giving in a little.

\- You know… I know he sort of doubted for a second and - I don't know- there will always be that weird moment between us before Haiti, but I honestly don't think he feels that way about me anymore!

\- But if he would and if he were single… - She gave Mindy a meaningful look. Mindy just stared back at her, forcing Gwen to complete her sentence – Would you? Date him?

\- I… Don't ask me these questions Gwen. I can barely handle my life as it is right now.

\- Good – said Gwen beaming – That's all I wanted to hear.


	16. Chapter 16

Danny fidgeted nervously as he heard the tone of the Skype ringing, awaiting a response. It was the dead of night and he was alone in an on-call room of the hospital. The unusual silence that surrounded the halls of the maternity ward had a ghostly quality to it. The newborns and their mothers slept peacefully while all visitors were gone, and the nurses took this quiet time to catch up on their gossip. It was the ideal time to rest, but Danny had already been pushing back this call for a long time.

Each clear ringing that went by made him grow tenser. After all, this was probably going to be the conversation he had been dreading since she had gone. Just as he was ready to hang up, a shabby yet beautiful Christina appeared on the screen of his laptop. They didn't say hello to each other; in fact, they didn't utter a word. They just looked at each other, examining their features. If you were an outside looker, you could have guessed they were trying to play _"mirror mirror",_ since they almost mimicked each other's expressions. After a few minutes, Danny wasn't sure if the screen had froze, but he couldn't think of a word to save his life.

\- Is there someone else? – He inquired.

\- No, but still… - Christina trailed off. He believed her. They had been through so many things together that he knew exactly when she was being earnest.

\- Yeah, I know. – Danny admitted. There was a weird calmness about the whole exchange; resignation, to be more accurate.

\- Is there someone else? – She asked timidly.

\- No. Not really… But there is the dream of someone else. – He confessed, and as soon as he let those words out of his mouth he knew he had heard them somewhere else. _Fuck, she had him good._

* * *

Later on that night, Mindy entered the on call room, tired as hell from a 4 hour long surgery. Danny was there already, collapsed on the one body sofa and listening to an oldies station with a little radio he was holding near his chest.

Without uttering a word, she plummeted onto the big couch and buried her face into a pillow.

\- Long day? – He spoke with a groggy voice.

\- Awful day Danny. How am I ever going to live through these days? – she complained against the pillow.

\- How did the surgery go?

Mindy looked up from the pillow and made eye contact with Danny. She looked terrible.

– It went okay but… she was devastated. – Mindy said while pinching the little dust balls off the couch.

\- What do you mean?

\- It all started as a delivery but there were complications and the baby… - She broke a little before she went on - he was stillborn... All I could manage to do was save her. And I had to go there and explain to her that… - her eyes glistened with tears. – Ugh. I hate this part of the job. – She said as she sat up, brushing the hair away from her face and wiping the tears.

\- I know. It sucks, but it is part of what we do. Bad days for good days, remember that… Why don't you call it a day and go home? Maybe a little air will do you good.

\- I can't, I have a full schedule. I only have a couple of hours to rest, so if you don't mind I'm gonna crash here.

\- Nah, it's okay. I think I might join you.

Mindy grabbed the blanket resting on the back of the couch and pulled it over her. She laid down again, her face now towards Danny's side. Danny placed the radio on the coffee table and shifted his position on the couch so he could be as comfortable as possible.

\- Night – he said closing his eyes.

\- Night – she muttered.

The radio began playing "I'll be okay" by Sondre Lerche. After the divorce, and up to a few months ago, this song used to remind him of Christina constantly. However, after Mindy had left for Haiti, the lyrics of the song had adjusted themselves to fit the new scenario in Danny's head. But now, having her around again made it easier for him to listen to it, so he just laid there, his mind drifting off to sleep. When he was about to lose consciousness, he heard a little sound close to him: it was Mindy, sobbing quietly against her pillow. Normally this situation would have made him uncomfortable, but this time he felt he knew how to act.

\- Hey, hey, hey – He said with a soothing voice, and extended a hand out to Mindy without opening his eyes.

Mindy looked up and saw Danny's inviting hand, and didn't think twice about it: She grabbed his unusually large and warm hand, and at the mere touch of it he closed his fingers in on her palm and gave her hand a little squeeze. This gesture of compassion was only meant to last for a few minutes, but it turned out neither one of them let go of each other's grasp. The soothing song and the closeness of each other's body made them feel at ease, and they fell asleep quite rapidly. Two hours later Danny woke up feeling the numbness of his entire arm, outstretched towards Mindy. She was still profoundly asleep in a fetal position, and she had instinctively held on to Danny's hand with both of hers. Danny could feel the proximity of her breath on his fingers, and even though his arm hurt he never once thought of letting go.


	17. Chapter 17

A few weeks after that night, Mindy woke up to a chilling breeze. It was 3 a.m. and the city hummed quietly with the sound of late night bars and the endless yellow taxis roaming around the streets. With a quiet whimper she got up from her toasty warm bed to solve the problem: She approached the open window and then found that the reason behind that sudden coldness was the beginning of a slim but constant rain that - as she checked the ledge - was forming into tiny flakes of snow. It sort of made sense: it was the start of December 23rd and she had been feeling the Christmas spirit all around the city these past few days. Still, Mindy could not believe that she had made it through all those months. She felt a little proud of herself, to have overcome so much in one year. The endless dates, the Haiti trip, the injury, the break ups, the insane amount of work… Yet she was still standing strong, maybe stronger than a few years ago.

She looked around her bedroom and saw the perfectly packed suitcase on her desk: At this time tomorrow she would be leaving for Boston to spend Christmas with her parents and Rishi. Most of the people from Shulman & Associates were going to travel home too and so they had all agreed to return to New York in time to throw a big New Year's party at the office (Mindy was ecstatic to have her first start of the year in the glamorous Manhattan).

She smiled to herself as she kept on watching the now thicker layer of snow pile up against the frame of her window, and inevitably her thoughts travelled back to Danny. She wished she could call him up and rant endlessly about the joy of snow just to wind him up and have him answer something along the lines of  _"it's three in the morning, shut up and go back to sleep"_ , or  _"the snow is a safety hazard"_ , or maybe even  _"there's nothing cute about solidified water"_  or just a  _plain "yeah you better watch out or you're going to break your other leg"._  However, she restrained herself. She knew that - being the date that it was - Christina was probably already home with him. This consideration wounded her a little, so she tried to take that off her mind.  _"It's not worth it Mindy; you are going to be just fine",_ she assured herself.

After a while she felt sleepy again and decided to return to bed. With an uplifted spirit she covered herself once again and thought about these future days to come, and what they would bring with them.

* * *

At work, the day before everyone leaves for their holiday is a joyful one. At the practice that day, you could see it in the faces of every single staff member: impending hope, elated smiles, zero stress.

Mindy seized the first hours of the morning to ring up all her current pregnant patients and ease their anxiety, giving them her parent's phone number and several other doctor's contacts, just in case. Just when she was about to go to the break room and grab some lunch, Betsy intercepted her and closed her office door.

\- You HAVE to help me out Dr. L! – Said Betsy with a panicky voice.

\- Sure Betsy what's going on? – She asked sitting down again.

\- You see, I think I have a date tonight. – Betsy confessed, putting both hands on her desk and leaning in, as if they were plotting a coup.

\- Wait, what? Who with?

\- Dr. Reed – Betsy admitted, blushing.

\- Oh my god you guys! Sit down Betsy... I'm so proud of you! So, what do you need my advice on? Clothes, make up? – offered Mindy. Betsy stood still and didn't break eye contact with Mindy. – Betsy?

\- …I need protection, Dr.L – Betsy let out, embarrassed.

\- Oh my god! Sure, here you go – Mindy said, realizing what Betsy meant. She opened her drawer and handed her some condoms – Now, eventually you will need to go on the pill because it is much  _much_ more effective and…

\- Oh no! No, no Dr. Lahiri. Not that kind of protection! – Betsy was alarmed and dropped the condoms on the floor as if they were burning stones.

\- Okay, you didn't need to… okay. That was a bit much – Mindy answered as she gathered them and put them back on the drawer.

\- I said I need  _your_  protection Dr. L. Dr. Reed suggested we should go out for dinner, and I think I'm going to die because I haven't actually been on a real date in Manhattan! The last time I let a boy take me out was on Louisiana on my granddad's farm and we went to a fried turkey contest... I threw up the entire horseback ride home.

\- You need me to go on the date with you? Won't that look a bit weird? – Mindy said, thinking about the fact that Jeremy was after all some sort of "ex".

\- Oh no! I already run it past Dr. Reed and he said he's fine with it. He said you can come with anyone you want. It has to be today though.

\- You know at some point you are going to have to start calling him Jeremy right? – Mindy advised. Betsy just looked at her hands and looked like she might pass out any time soon - Anyway, why today? Why is this so important?

\- My dad already sent him an invitation for Christmas at my house. He couldn't back out of it so now we are going on this trip and I can't go without something happening or not happening yet…

\- So you haven't slept together yet, big deal. You know he is interested in you though. You have been flirting for months! – Mindy pointed out.

\- We haven't even kissed - Betsy admitted.

\- What?! Hmmm… okay. You do look like you need my help. Why don't you come over to my house and we'll get ready there?

Betsy's eyes watered and she hugged Mindy tightly, in a very awkward manner.

\- Okay, that's- you can let go Betsy. It's fine.

* * *

\- You haven't kissed her yet? – Mindy said slapping Jeremy on the back of his neck as she entered the break room.

\- Ouch! – Yelled Jeremy, dropping his sandwich on the table.

\- What is wrong with you?! – She hissed.

\- Hush, Mindy! – said Jeremy in a low voice, looking around. The other people at the room were the intern and Danny, and they were both busy eating and reading the newspaper, so it was safe enough to assume nobody really cared about this conversation. – I take it she has spoken to you?

\- Yes. And seriously, what are you waiting for Jeremy? You might find it hard to believe, but Betsy CAN do better. As for you? Not so much. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you're missing the window of opportunity here. Once a certain period of time passes where you grow really close to a person, it comes to a point of all or nothing. – Mindy declared (and trust me, Danny looked up at this remark).

\- Well, the date is sort of the turning point then! So would you help us? Would you tag along? – Begged Jeremy.

\- Of course, but I can't bring any of my recent dates! There will be enough weird tension going on between you guys.

\- And mostly they were all dicks – pointed out Danny, clearly overhearing the conversation.

\- Okay, that's a bit much – okay. – She said raising a hand at Danny - So have you asked anyone? – Mindy asked Jeremy.

\- Yeah, I asked Morgan but he has this irrational fear that if he leaves the house without the dogs her grandma is going to put them to sleep while he's not around. – Jeremy explained. Morgan came into the room just then, pretending that he wasn't aware of the discussion.

\- Morgan, you have to be kidding me! – whined Mindy. – You think your nana is a murderer?

\- No, it's true. – Morgan replied - My grandma is a tough ass lady… Plus I say a number of incoherent things when I'm on a date. – He whined - It doesn't even have to be my date; I just start sweating bullets! One time I was chaperoning these two guys in prison, and they just started going at it, and all I could do was stand there and hum  _"My heart will go on"_  … it was a little too Brokeback Mountain for me, if you know what I mean.

Everyone looked disgusted and shouted at the same time for him to stop. He shrugged, grabbed his lunch and sat next to Danny.

\- So, I'm game. – Mindy insisted returning to Jeremy - Find me someone and we'll make it a double date.

\- I could go… - Danny pointed out.

They all stared at him (yes, even the intern), confused at this unusual behavior.

\- I mean I think it's long overdue between you guys and, I can keep you company. You two know me, so it wont be that threatening to Bets, right? – Danny tried to explain himself.

\- Really? You would do that for them? – Mindy asked, suspicious.

\- Did I stutter? – Danny answered with a deadpan look.

\- OHHHHH! Buuuuuuurnnnn! – Morgan shouted and "hi fived" Danny (Danny didn't hi fived him back as he was too busy staring intently into Mindy's eyes)

\- Okay, it's a date – says an excited Jeremy.

\- Yeah – Mindy whispers, gagging a little.


	18. Chapter 18

When Danny knocked on her apartment door that evening, he noticed himself sweating more than usual. He wiped his forehead with a tissue that instantly became soaked at the touch of his skin. Just when he had thrown the hankie onto the hallway, Mindy opened the door looking bemused. Danny eyed her quickly: she was wearing a black bandage dress cut to the knee with a silver cardigan on top of it, and she was still barefoot.

\- Hi – Danny said with as much confidence as he was able to muster up (and  _yeah_ , there wasn't much of it really).

Mindy took in the guy before her, and was at a loss of words for a few seconds. The man looked  _damn fine:_ He was wearing a dark blue jean, a black shirt – the first two buttons undone – and a kickass black leather jacket (that he filled completely,  _thank you very much_ ). When she was finally able to snap out of it, confusion took over.

\- Wait. Did we agree on you picking me up? – Mindy asked suspiciously, as she adjusted the zip of a bracelet.

\- Well, you know. It  _is_  a double date, so it would only make sense that each couple gets together first – Danny mentioned, a grin spreading on his mouth as he watched her reaction to him.

\- Yeah, right. " _A couple"_  – she said flabbergasted – you wish. – She finished with a piggish snort.  _Gosh she sounded idiotic. –_ Come on in then, I'll be ready in a moment.

Danny came in and looked around at the apartment with a satisfied air about him. He turned back on his heels and assessed her outfit again, this time more carefully.

\- You look nice. I'm surprised you didn't choose one of your colorful little numbers.

Mindy blushed. The truth was she had been thinking about her fashion choice quite a bit, and had ultimately decided to go with something Danny wouldn't nag her about (And OK, something  _maybe_  he would appreciate).

\- I didn't have time to come up with anything else, ok? Also, I'm going to support them, not outshine them Danny. – Mindy answered in a snarky tone. She returned to the walk in closet as Danny took off his jacket and proceeded to raid her fridge.

\- Do you have anything eatable here? – he asked, although he already knew the answer to that one.

\- Just some salty crackers. You know I'm doing the two-day celebrity detox before the holidays! – She shouted at him.

\- What are you talking about? I saw you steal two slices of pizza from Morgan at lunch.

Mindy returned to the kitchen stomping hard with her new leather pumps and a bothered expression on her face. – That was on account of my low pressure Danny. I can't collapse in front of my patients, now can I?

Danny gave her an amused look and closed the fridge, popping some tic-tacs on his mouth.

\- So, what's the deal with this? – He said as he chewed the pills.

\- What do you mean? – She asked while she put on her coat.

\- Do you know what this place we are going to is? – Danny insisted. Mindy was having some trouble with the coat, so he came to her side and helped her put her arm through the sleeve of the fluffy green coat.

\- Uh, I think some karaoke bar. – She said absentmindedly as she felt the warmth of his breath on her neck. He smelled _minty. Dammit._

\- Are you for real? – Danny said stepping back, an outraged pitch in his voice. Mindy turned her head to him with a fake smile.

\- You signed up for this buddy. Now suffer it. – She added, winking at him. - You want a shot before we go?

Danny nodded and took two shot glasses from the pantry without hesitation. Mindy knew Danny was a frequent visitor at her house by now, but it still baffled her to see him going around the house on his own, remembering where all the things were and helping himself to food, etc without asking for her permission. It wasn't so much that he did it. It was how brazenly comfortable he was at it.  _This is such a "boyfriend-y" thing to do_ , she thought for a second.

\- Get the tequila, c'mon! – Danny urged Mindy, snapping his fingers in front of her face. Mindy reacted, and made her way to the liquor shelf, still a bit dazed. - I just don't understand this obsession with ruining perfectly good songs by drunkenly covering them. – Danny carried on and then took the shot straight up (Mindy was still covering her glass with sugar powder on the edges). When Danny put down the drink he noticed Mindy's hand on the counter.

\- You still wear that? – He pointed out, gesturing at the engagement ring that stared right back at him.

\- Ugh, this? Don't even get me started... I've been trying for days now but it won't come off!

\- Maybe you got bigger. – He joked, clearly still displeased by the piece of jewelry.

\- A perfect gentleman every time, right Danny? – She added with a resentful poke on his shoulder.

\- Ok. Let me just go the bathroom a second and we'll head off. – Danny said, taking a last look at the ridiculously sparkly ring. Mindy swore she heard a muffled  _"Ugh"_  as Danny shut the door.

Mindy sat down on the sofa and looked at the ring. She felt she needed that thing off her. She started pulling at it but could not yank it off.

\- Hurry up! We are going to be late and I don't want Betsy angry-texting me. – She yelled at him, now really frustrated. – Also, you need to get over your aversion to karaoke Danny. Honestly, you play other people songs with your piano, that's similar!

Danny came out of the bathroom and grabbed his jacket off the back of the couch. He was about to speak but she cut him off.

\- Also, don't be a drag because I think Jeremy picked this place. You know how he likes to show off his Spanish knowledge; I think that's how Betsy first noticed him. – She gushed, smiling to herself. Then she noticed the ring and puckered up again, pulling at it like a maniac.

\- Allow me – Danny said with a heavy sigh. He leaned against the back of the couch and got down a bit, enough to level with Mindy's face. He then took Mindy's hand and looked at the ring for a few seconds, turning it on her finger.

\- It won't come off Danny, it's pointless. – She groaned.

\- Don't worry, I got this. I saw it in a movie. – He hushed her, completely focused.

Danny secured Mindy's hand with both of his, separating her fingers from the one with the ring. Slowly, he approached his face to it and then without a warning he put her finger in his mouth. Mindy's breath caught at this, and she tilted her head back, examining the strange situation. Slowly and gently, Danny began sucking, pulling upwards to get the ring out of her finger. Mindy felt a cold shiver down her spine; she could not keep her eyes off him. She also felt  _absolutely horny_.

Danny took the ring from his mouth and wiped it with his sleeve as Mindy still watched him in awe.

\- That – umm… that was crazy hot. – She murmured

\- You're welcome – Danny whispered. He put the ring down on the table beside the couch and then zipped up his leather jacket. He returned to the kitchen and took another shot.

Meanwhile, Mindy just stood there on the couch, frozen, looking at her hand. She didn't know what to be more shocked about: the fact that Daniel Castellano had just sucked her hand in a very sensual, manly way, or maybe the fact that she knew exactly where he had picked that trick from (And it seemed now that he had given Dermot Mulroney a run for his money). In any case, it had been a pretty intense, intimate moment, and Mindy was completely freaked out by what she was left feeling. What was up with this new Danny? He almost resembled "Dream Danny", and he definitely seemed to be making a move on her.

\- Quit staring at me like that Lahiri. You ready to go? – Danny asked her. Mindy felt self-conscious by the most likely pervert look on her face, but smiled anyways. She took her purse and headed out for the door, followed by a glowing Danny.

* * *

Mindy entered the cab and shook the snow off her shoulders. Danny settled next to her, almost measuring a correct distance between them. He gave the cabbie directions and then they spent most of the ride in silence. However, they stole glances from each other when the other one was looking away (or at least was pretending to).

\- I never pictured you as a valentine encourager. – Mindy mentioned out of the blue, still staring out the window.

\- What the hell are you talking about? – He asked, amused.

\- This is really selfless, what you are doing. It's weird. – She stated with a smirk.

\- It's nothing really. Plus Jeremy and Betsy are my fr… - He started but stopped, realizing he was about to let his guards down. Mindy turned to look at him, gaping.

\- Did you… Were you going to say  _friends_? Oh my god! What is it with you tonight? You seem like a different person! –

\- Is that a good thing or a bad thing? – He asked earnestly.

\- Good, but what about… - She let out shyly, but was cut off when the taxi came to a sudden halt.

\- That'll be 20,94 please – yelled the cabbie. Mindy pulled out her wallet but a hand stopped her.

\- I got this – Danny told her and paid the man.

Mindy was once again puzzled by Danny's attitude, except now she didn't feel flattered; she was flat out infuriated. An idea had begun to grow on her mind, and Mindy could not get her head around the situation: Danny was a taken man, so what was he doing? How could he be doing this to Christina?

He had told Mindy they had specifically agreed on only breaking up if someone else showed up. So what? Was he trying to make her a home wrecker?  _Hell no_ , she would not be the reason of their break-up (even if she really wanted him to be single sometimes). She didn't want anything to do with him, at least until he was on his own, by his own right.

\- You didn't have to do that – Mindy pointed out, exasperated – This is not a real date after all

\- OK. You can buy me a scotch in there and we'll be even – He said, oblivious to her rage.

Danny got out of the cab and Mindy followed, ready to smack him on the head. However, once they were on the sidewalk they noticed Jeremy and Betsy already waiting for them.  _Poor things_ , Mindy thought. They looked extremely awkward standing there, each one looking in a different direction. The conversation with Danny would have to wait, she decided; these two needed her big time.


	19. Chapter 19

Jeremy, Danny, Betsy and Mindy walked into the noisy pub and were dumbfounded by the crowd that was already filling up the place. Jeremy and Danny struggled their way to the bar whilst Betsy and Mindy managed to intimidate a couple enough to leave them their table. When the boys arrived with the drinks, Mindy was in the middle of a heated conversation with Betsy.

\- What's going on? – Jeremy asked as they sat by the small, squared table.

\- Betsy has never listened to Take That. I'm appalled. – Mindy explained, looking from left to right to the boys. Then she looked straight ahead where Betsy was quietly sipping her fruity drink – Not even "Back for good"?

\- Leave her alone Mindy. She's probably a little too young to remember them – Jeremy pointed out, trying to compliment Betsy. – After all, I myself was just a lad when they broke up.

\- Stop making yourself younger than me, Jeremy! – She whined, poking him on the chest. – We are the same age!

\- Okay, okay. That's enough – Danny said grabbing Mindy by the waist and making her sit down again.

\- Keep your hands to yourself Castellano – She said dryly, letting go of his grasp. Danny looked at her, puzzled, and backed away from Mindy.

The next minute was  **filled**  by a clearly awkward silence: Mindy grabbed her drink and started sipping it quite rapidly, avoiding Danny's glare, while Jeremy alternated between smiling dumbly at Betsy and shying away when she looked back. Thank god for the public.

\- Okay, who wants to sing? – tried Jeremy, opening the tiny velvet folder to check the catalogue of songs. – I'm thinking "Las mañanitas" – he said and winked at Betsy. Danny sighed heavily and took a sip from his beer, preparing for the upcoming events.

\- Uh, I'm actually gonna go to the restroom for a moment. Dr. L, would you care to join me? – Betsy said, a plea in her eyes.

\- Sure, yeah let's go.

When both ladies had left the table, Jeremy buried his head on his arms, knocking himself lightly against the table. Danny was already dreading the situation and didn't really know how to approach Jeremy, but the man had frustration written all over him and that really wasn't typical of Dr. Reed.

\- Hey man, what's the matter? – Asked Danny.

\- I've lost my powers, Danny… I think it's got to do something with this yo-yo dieting of mine. I've lost my inner Bond.

\- What are you talking about? You are like the… - gosh this was silly to say -  _ladies' man_  in the office. Remember that time you helped me get my license? Just pull that guy off and she'll be at your feet!

\- I don't know what happened to that guy, but he has left the building… She just makes me so nervous, and sweaty, and incompetent… Now I know what it feels like to be you. – Jeremy pointed out matter-of-factly, his head still sunk on his hands. Danny pulled a face, but he couldn't go any further: He knew indeed what it was like to feel overwhelmed by emotions when close to… well, yes.

\- Look, you are probably feeling like this because you really like her. You've never truly cared and it's taking its toll on you. But trust me, Betsy likes you Jeremy. – Danny re assured him, gesturing with his arms.  _Why was he gesturing so much?_  Well, probably he felt he needed to be as compelling as possible in his argument, so this conversation would be over. - You know she is shy. Just be your usual self and she will eventually come around.

\- I'm going to her parents' house for the holidays Danny; I don't have time to be myself. If nothing happens tonight, then it's downhill from there – sulked Jeremy.

\- You're putting…

* * *

\- …Too much pressure on this night, Betsy! You can't force a moment to happen. Just go out there, have some fun and don't think about the trip.

\- How can I not Dr. L? – cried Betsy to her boss.

\- Well, for starters drink something a little heavier than a ginger ale. That might help. – joked Mindy. Betsy looked down at her hands, which were stiffly clenching the counter of the sink. Mindy felt horrible, and unusually incompetent - Listen, I know Jeremy. When we _… "dated",_  he acted all nonchalant and superior.  _This_  Jeremy? Totally different. You affect him, Bets. He must really like you. – She finished, encouragingly.

\- That's what makes it so hard! What if I'm not good enough? He's had so much experience… - Betsy said, compulsively taking hand towels.

\- Betsy, if he doesn't appreciate you, he is a loser. Not the other way around. – Mindy stopped her and grabbed her hands - Also, he's not  _that_  exotic in bed and… - Betsy looked up and gave Mindy an alarmed look at this.  _Oh, man_  – You… you are aware that I've slept with him, right? – Asked Mindy. Betsy nodded, her stomach churning - Trust me, he won't disappoint though. – Mindy winked at Betsy, who responded by looking sick and pale.

* * *

\- That's good, yeah, breathe. – Danny coached Jeremy as he came out of his anxiety attack.

\- This used to be so simple… Why didn't I just date someone like Mindy? – whined Jeremy.

\- Hey, hey. Cause what, she's disposable? Don't say that about her. – Danny replied defensively. Jeremy looked up at him, a hint of realization on his mind.

\- Oh, I'm sorry. Right, I just meant… She didn't ever make me sick. – Jeremy said apologetically.

Danny understood his reaction had been a little compromising, so he just scratched the back of his neck and took a sip of his beer.  _Man up, Castellano._  Then he asked:

\- Look, do you want this to happen with Betsy or not?

Jeremy paused, and then looked at Danny with solemn eyes.

\- Desperately – He stated.

\- Then c'mon. Go sing. Use your skills, Spanish her up! –  _Spanish her up? What was he saying?_  He needed to get a stronger drink; he could not stand himself tonight.

Jeremy smiled with more poise this time and sat up. He crossed the table and hugged Danny for a split second (an awkward second). Then, as a true English gentleman, he held his head high and walked to the stage.

\- Okay, that's more like it – Danny smiled.

* * *

They had never heard him sing like that. Dr. Reed seemed possessed by a  _Celine-Dion-esque_  ghost, pulling odd tricks with his voice and infusing a large amount of dramatism to his performance. Danny and even Mindy were cringing at this, but the unlikely cover of  _"Hero"_  seemed to have hooked Betsy Putch: She was staring at Jeremy like she was in the presence of the actual Enrique Iglesias. Taking his shirt off. Repeatedly. On a desert beach.

\- How can she be enjoying this? –Danny whispered (slash yelled) into Mindy's ears.

\- I guess that's the thing about love… no matter how stupid or silly, if you have fallen for it… that's it. – She yelled back. Danny nodded in agreement, gawking at her for two seconds longer than usual. Mindy didn't notice this: She had been focusing on the stage, partly because Jeremy's act was truly mesmerizing, but also because she wanted to avoid Danny at all costs. She could not deal with his perfect face at the moment, mostly because it would make her forget that she was mad at him, mad for making her  _the other_.

When the song ended, only a five percent of the club applauded, but Jeremy was elated to see Betsy jumping up and down in excitement, fan-girling over him as if he were a true Latin lover.

* * *

Two hours later, everyone was having a great time. The singers in this karaoke bar were actually pretty decent, pro-league levels if you may say so. Danny had even dared to join Jeremy for a song (although he got off stage in the middle of the tune, too mortified to cover the great Bruce Springsteen).

The best thing was that Betsy and Jeremy seemed a lot more comfortable with each other.  _Alcohol truly is a magical potion,_ Mindy thought _._

Danny and Mindy had exchanged few to none words, and instead limited themselves to drinking and listening. Mindy had almost forgotten about the potential fight; being a successful matchmaker was all she could think about. She kept on staring at (what she had now baptized as) "Jetsy", feeling like a proud momma. So basically, everything was going great… until Betsy decided to make small talk.

\- Are you going out of town, Dr. L? – Betsy inquired, her face on Jeremy's shoulder.

\- Yes, I'm leaving for Boston in a few hours actually! My family is all getting together at my parent's house.

\- Nice! How about you Dr. C? Got any big plans with the missus? – insisted Betsy. Danny's first reaction was to look at Mindy, and then swallow a big gulp of beer.

\- Nah, I'm playing it cool this year. I'm staying here. – Was all he managed to answer.

Danny seemed uncomfortable, and Mindy picked up at this quickly. She associated his discomfort with the fact that he was talking about his current girlfriend whilst acting like her date. She felt that rush of anger building up against her throat once again, and decided to act on it.

\- So… When _is_  Christina coming home Danny? Won't she be worried you are out with other people? Single people, of all? – Mindy inquired.  _What a vile creature._

\- Uhm, no… soon… I guess. – Danny stuttered - Do you guys want anything? I'm going to get another beer. – He said, jumping up and heading to the bar without waiting for an answer.

Mindy was shocked. The coward was running away! He was guilty then. She went after him without thinking twice about it.

\- What's going on? – Betsy asked Jeremy, afraid she had ruined the mood. – What did I do?

* * *

\- One dark ale, please. And a shot of whisky – Danny shouted at the bartender, drying the perspiration off his face.

\- Make that two, please – a female voice added. Danny turned back to see Mindy behind him.

\- Don't you think you had enough for today? – Danny complained. Mindy wasn't sure if he was talking about the alcohol or himself.

\- Excuse me? I resent that. Maybe  _you_  should cool it down! You are about to drink your third boilermaker!

\- That's what I need to put up with this night. This place is packed, I can hardly breathe. – Danny sighed, grabbing another napkin and placing it on the back of his neck.

\- Maybe it's not the place. Maybe it's your conscience that won't let you be. – She stated.

\- What are you talking about? – Danny asked, frustration on his features.

\- I'm talking about Christina, Danny. What would she think of this, tonight? – She responded, pointing at him and back at her.

\- You said it yourself. It's not a date Mindy. Right? – He checked. He loved the annoyed face she gave him.  _Got you._

\- I just find it extremely weird, nay, disloyal of you to act all date-y and charming when there's a woman waiting for you. I do not want to be in between you guys…

\- I'm charming? – Danny smiled.  _Gosh, this guy is thick as a brick wall_ , she though (and blushed)

\- Don't dodge my question – Mindy shot back at him.

\- You are not asking me anything. – Danny smugly snapped back. Mindy stared at him sternly. – Okay, come here – Danny said, and grabbed Mindy's hand to pull her closer to him. She could feel his hot breath on her face, and the soft, big grip of his hand was throwing her off her game.  _Remain strong, Mindy. It's Beyonce Pad Thai time_  , she thought. - Maybe if I just clear things up you'll understand… Mindy, I'm not… - Danny started off, but got interrupted by a furious Jeremy, who walked right in between of them.

\- You guys are a couple of asses! What is wrong with you? – Jeremy said, spitting a little on them. The bartender approached Danny and handed him the drinks.

\- What is wrong with me? What do you mean? – Mindy asked, offended.

\- Things were finally starting to work out and then you two got so weird, and then left!

\- Ask Mindy, I just came here for some drinks – Danny told Jeremy, and plunged the whisky shot into the beer.

\- What's wrong with  _me_ , Danny? What's wrong with  _you_! You are being a huge weirdo today! – Mindy exclaimed.

\- Stop it! Both of you! – Shouted Jeremy. – You are upsetting Betsy, guys. She was trying to be nice and… Just look at her.

They all turned around at caught a glimpse of Betsy alone at the table, drawing wet circles with a coaster, looking like she might start crying at any second. They all felt horrible, to be honest.

\- Ugh, whatever. – Mindy sighed.

\- No, not whatever. Look, I don't know what the matter with you is, but you both need to cool it down. – Jeremy concluded. – You know what? I've had enough of you too for today, okay? Go have your own little petty party. We're leaving. – Jeremy returned to the table, mouthed something to Betsy's ear and they both got up and exited the pub.

\- Look at what you've done now. – Danny whispered, and took a sip of his drink.

\- Me? If I am in any bad mood it's because of you mister. I don't even understand what's going through your head.

\- Mindy – Danny said with a concerned look, peering into the distance.

\- I mean what were you going to say? What could possibly excuse you…

\- Mindy! – He insisted, moving his head and squinting.

\- What? Danny don't…

\- Mindy, Mindy, WAIT! Look – Danny grabbed Mindy's hand again and lead her through the crowd until they reached the big pub window.

Outside on the sidewalk, Jeremy and Betsy were chatting amiably. Jeremy was caressing a side of Betsy's face tenderly, and she was staring back at him like a moth stuck to a flame, head tilted into his palm. Mindy marched further, hiding herself on the pillar next to the window. Danny followed and hid behind her. Despite the proximity, they couldn't make out what they were saying due to the enraged singer rocking out to Led Zeppelin on stage, but it really never minded because Betsy and Jeremy were smiling, and because they finally seemed at ease with each other.

\- He's going for it… - Whispered Danny.

Mindy squeezed his arm tightly, biting down the emotion of what was about to happen (Danny was hurting from her grip but he was also too wrapped in the scene to complain). Jeremy slid his hand down until he reached Betsy's, and he closed the distance between them. Betsy did not shy away from this; what's more, she leaned in closer. Jeremy put her forehead up against hers, kissed her softly and then backed away. She smiled, a bit dazed, and he pecked her lips once more.

\- That's my man – Danny smiled.

Then, seemingly not satisfied, Jeremy bent down a little and wrapped her arms around Betsy to bring her closer to him. This time the kiss was a bit more intense, and now both Mindy and Danny felt a little hot and bothered looking at it.

\- Oh wow, they are really going at it… Oh, okay, that's not a flattering angle – Mindy added.

\- Yeah okay, maybe we should give them some privacy. – Danny pointed out.

Mindy looked back and was met by Danny's face, only a few inches away. For a moment, he forgot they had been fighting, and focused solely on her lips, which looked particularly tempting tonight. Mindy caught him staring, and deciphered his intentions at once. The truth was she would have acted upon impulse, but her mind told her he was taken. She let out a sigh and smiled at him.

\- Those crazy kids! Took them long enough, huh? – Mindy said jokingly, a little out of breath.

\- Yeah, yeah – Danny answered and scratched his arm, noticing the mood had been compromised.

At that moment, a couple of girls went onstage and announced they were going to sing "Feel Again", by One Republic.

\- Oh, I love this song! Come on, I wanna hear this! – Mindy said and pulled his arm towards the crowd. Danny stumbled his way behind her, until they were close enough to the stage. The crowd pushed them closer, and Mindy ended up involuntarily pressed against Danny's back. The song started playing and everyone was singing along with the girls on stage.

 _[It's been a long time coming since I've seen your face_  
I've been everywhere and back trying to replace  
Everything that I had 'til my feet went numb  
Praying like a fool that's been on the run…]  
  
\- Mindy… Christina is not coming. I just said because I didn't want to talk about it with them. – Danny confessed, still looking ahead of him.

\- … How come? The competition couldn't take  _that_ long – Mindy asked, not letting the hope she was starting feel get to her head.

\- No she's not coming back at all. We broke up. About a month ago. – Danny admitted. Mindy's breath caught at this. She tried to seek for his expression, but Danny was avoiding her in purpose.

\- Did she…? – She whispered.

\- No, it was mutual. It just wasn't working… We didn't make each other happy. - Danny sighed.

Mindy was eager to make more questions that were now filling up her head, but she decided to let it go for the moment. She was content with feeling the music and the vibrations of his voice travel from his back to her chest; it made her feel at home. Now there was a little room on the crowd to break apart, but Mindy discovered she didn't really want to. She wanted to let him know she was truly sorry about how rude she had been to him, but no words came out at first.

 _[Heart's still beating but it's not working_  
It's like a million dollar phone that you just can't ring  
I reached out trying to love but I feel nothing

 _Yeah, my heart is numb]_  
  
\- I'm sorry I bashed you… you do deserve happiness, Danny. – Mindy added after a brief pause, placing a hand on her shoulder.

\- I know – he stated, still not looking at her. Then he placed his hand on top of Mindy's - I am now.

Betsy and Jeremy re-entered the place then, and stood beside them. Jeremy mouthed an apology to them, and hugged Betsy from behind, waltzing slowly to the song.

After a while, Danny looked back at Mindy, and she had her eyes already fixed on his face. The lyrics were sinking in their heads, and they smiled at each other.

 _[But with you_  
I feel again  
Yeah, with you  
I can feel again

_Yeah (…)_

_I'm feeling better ever since you know me_   
_I was a lonely soul but that's the old me]_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for the delay in updating guys! It took me forever to write this chapter, but I'm pretty happy with it. I hope you enjoy it, and follow the cut-to-cut format I tried on. Any comment or review will be highly appreciated! More chapters are on the way! (And no, this time it won't take so long :) )


	20. Chapter 20

\- I think I'm sobering up Danny, and let me tell you… I am exhausted!

As they walked down the street, leaving the crowded pub behind, Mindy felt drained and sweaty: her leather pumps were killing her soles and the once sexy dress now seemed too tight on her hips. They stopped at a corner and as they waited, she leaned on a traffic light pole and tucked her hair into a messy low bun. When the light turned green, Danny looked back and saw Mindy half asleep, face plastered against the post.

\- C'mon Mindy… let's go, we're nearly there. – Danny said helping her up. Mindy blew a kiss at the pole and began following Danny, whining with each step.

The city streets seemed empty at this our, yet the brightness of every window shop and decorated streetlamp made the night air buzz with excitement. Mindy had leaned on Danny for support, and they were both now strolling slowly arm in arm.

\- Why do we have to walk? I'm dying here… I'm never going back to that hellhole.

\- Yeah, me either. That place was more packed than Italian weddings. They owe us big time.

\- Yes, they do… - she cried. Then she snapped her head back at him - Wait, have you ever been to an Italian wedding? They're supposed to be amazing!

\- Yeah, I've been to one or two in my life. – He replied sarcastically. - They are excruciating though; I mean, there is a never-ending supply of food and yet they kill themselves for the first ravioli they set on the table. Animals… - Danny sighed in disgust.

\- That sounds amazing! I want to wrestle for pasta too! – She added, a bit more cheerful.

\- Ok, I'll take you to the next one then – He offered and smiled his half-side grin at her. She nodded, and when their eyes met for a few seconds Danny had to look away quickly: the alcohol still left in him was sending him confusing signals.  _Stop daydreaming Castellano_. - But know that I've warned you! – he added, pointing his finger at her.

\- Please, do! – Mindy said reassuringly, squeezing his arm a little.

\- Okay – Danny accepted, a bit more eagerly – You have to learn our traditions though. I can't have you make a spectacle out of us.

Mindy opened her mouth to speak but Danny went first.

\- And I don't mean any cliches, like joining the mob or eating canolis.

\- Well, what were you thinking about then? – Mindy asked, clearly disappointed at the smashed opportunity to share her wittiness with the world.

\- Hmm… for starters, there's the bag. See, it is customary for the bride to carry a satin bag, and she gets money from the guests at the wedding. And trust me; they don't leave you until you put enough in there.

\- Okay, so I must stop by an ATM before the ceremony. – She answered, tracing a tick in the air with her finger - Check. What else?

\- Well, my family is not a full-on traditional one, but the old toast customs are always the thing I enjoy the most.

\- How come? What's so special about it? – She asked immediately. Danny gave her a quick side glance, amused by her concentration. She barely noticed; her span of attention was completely focused on his story.

\- Well, the best man makes the toast, as in any wedding. But he's always supposed to finish it by saying  _"Per cent'anni!"_. It means for a hundred years. So all the people toast for a lifetime of happiness, and I normally would cringe at that but I don't know… I like the idea of it.

\- Aww…  _Per-san-tini!_ – She tried, with a phony Italian accent.

\- No, you gotta push your jaw forward. I already taught you this. – He groaned.

\- Per-sentani! – She tried again and failed miserably.

\- Per cent'anni! – He gestured, throwing his free hand from his chin to the air.

\- Per cent'anni! – Mindy mimicked him.

\- There you go – He smiled his broadest smile yet, and felt unapologetic about it. She pinched his arm and looked away, a little flustered by his perfect features. A few seconds of silence went by and neither felt they had to fill the void. They just keep on strolling, taking in the chilly breeze.

\- Did you have an Italian wedding? – Mindy asked moments later with a low voice. Danny shifted his weight a little, clearly uncomfortable by the question.

\- Uhm, not really. Christina was constantly away with shows so we just booked an appointment at City Hall and called it a day.

\- That's awful! – Mindy pointed out.

\- Yeah, but it didn't matter to us then. And we always said to my family we'd throw a big party when we got to our 10 year anniversary…

There was another brief (now awkward) silence, and Danny looked at her with a resigned look.  _Why did I ask him this? Ugh, idiot,_ Mindy reprimanded herself.

\- Anyway, they did yell us  _"Evviva gli sposi"!_  – He added, trying to lift the mood of the conversation a little.

\- Which is something like…?

 _\- "Long live the newlyweds",_  I think. – Danny finished, sorrowful. Mindy pursed her lips, containing herself.

\- So… how are you holding up? – Turns out she couldn't help herself. The subject was unavoidable.

\- Hey, look, it's not that big of a deal. – He said dismissively.

\- No? – Mindy insisted, a grimace on her face.

\- Nah… it was a fair second shot, but it didn't work out. It ended the minute she went on her trip – Danny stated – We both know we are better off…

\- I'm sorry I treated you badly, and assumed you were… um, unfaithful. – Mindy apologized.

\- Yes, that was weird, that you got so upset. What was that again? – Danny said inquisitively, a mischievous smile playing along the line of his lips.

\- Uhm, I don't know what you are talking about. – Mindy answered in a rush and pulled out her phone, pretending she had a message just so she could avoid his intent eyes on her. Suddenly, her expression changed into one of surprise - Shoot, it's late!

\- Oh, come on, you don't fool me – Danny nudged her gently.

\- No Danny, seriously, look! It's five o'clock! My bus leaves at 7! – She flashed the phone screen at him. – Oh god, I haven't finished packing my toiletries, and the gifts… - Mindy started gagging and pulled away from Danny.

\- Hey, hey, hey! Calm down. Okay, we can make it there. Let's just, let's go to your place and I'll help you finish packing. – He offered.

\- You sure? Don't you want to go to sleep? Ugh – she gagged again.

\- I'm a doctor. I'll sleep when I'm dead. Come on – Danny assured her and led her to the sidewalk. They were lucky enough to run into a busy street; Danny hailed a cab and they both got in.

* * *

Mindy was punching the last remaining garments on the carry-on suitcase when Danny entered the room, yawning a little and rubbing his hands against his jeans.

\- I already emptied the fridge. I threw an entire bag of rotten cabbages. Why do you even buy this stuff if you won't eat anything other than Cheerios and ice cream?

\- It's called… a healthy mentality Danny... It's all on the latest Glamour, I'll lend it to you. – Mindy said absentmindedly and continued to punch her clothes and zip the suitcase. Danny took in the scene before him.

\- What are you doing? Are you packing a sundress? It's −13 degrees Mindy, you won't be able to wear that!

\- No, my parents have like 80 fireplaces, it will be warm inside. And how do you know they are called sundresses? – Mindy threw herself on top of the dresses to prevent Danny from taking them.

\- And why 3? You're only gonna be there for a week! – He said slipping one dress from below her.

\- Danny, don't judge my system. I know I will regret it if I don't take them with me. – She said punching the clothes again, tucking a messy strand of her behind her ear.

\- Okay, just, stop. You look like a mess. – He said pulling her away from the pile of clothes.

\- Ex-queeze me? – Mindy hissed, a hand on her hip.

\- Look, go take a shower. I'll finish closing this, and then I'll take it to the living room and call a cab.

\- Are you sure? – She said in a low voice, awkwardly adjusting the frame of her glasses.

\- Yes. It's 6,10 Mindy, it's now or never. – Danny reminded her.

\- Okay, okay! I'll go. Oh god, thank you Danny! You have no idea… - She reached over and hugged him. – Oh god, you smell like an ashtray… Have you been smoking again?

Danny sighed but didn't push her away; he was enjoying it too much.

\- It's that damned bar rubbing off on my clothes. Now, go shower.

\- Hmm – nodded Mindy, a little too pleased with the embrace. Then she snapped back to reality, pulled away and gave him a shy glance.

\- Off you go – insisted Danny. Mindy went along and grabbed some towels, heading to the bathroom hurriedly.

* * *

\- Come on Mindy, the taxi is waiting downstairs! Hurry up or you're gonna miss the bus! – called out Danny from the kitchen counter.

\- I'm almost ready! I'm just finishing my smoky eye. – yelled Mindy from the bathroom.

 _Dear lord_. She was incredibly fast when it came to surgery and emergencies, but it seemed that getting ready was an ancient art she couldn't master yet. Seeing as she was nearly done though, Danny took a tiny square box out of his pocket and slipped it into her purse. Seconds later she ran to the door, tying her khaki trench coat with leather sleeves.

\- Let's go! C'mon Danny! – She ordered and left the apartment, leaving him to deal with the bags.  _She's hurrying me_? He thought amused, and followed her like a bellboy.

* * *

\- I can't believe we made it in time. Ugh. Thank you for coming with me Danny, and helping out… - Mindy said as she handed her ticket to the bus driver.

\- No problem – he said in a nonchalant manner, although he was drenched in sweat at this point.

\- Are you sure you don't want to come? It seems horrible to spend Christmas alone! – She commented and turned back to face him.

\- Nah, I'll be fine... I'm curious though… if you were to take me, who would you tell your parents I am? A colleague? – He asked her.

\- Of course not! – Mindy smiled.

\- A friend? – He tried.

\- Well… yes. – She admitted.

\- Nothing more? – He pressed on.

Mindy felt caught off guard.  _Why was he asking this? And why now? Was he also entertaining the idea of them… together?_  Blushing, she searched for words but struggled, and in the end she couldn't find any to answer that question. Maybe it was because she had been asking herself the same for a while now…

\- I see the way you look at me, you know? – Danny said teasingly. He was smiling but it was clear it was a nervous one. His own questions had dumbfounded him, and her lack of answers made him feel like a rejected schoolboy all over again. So you know, he was trying to play it cool.

\- Yeah, sure you do, you pervert. – Mindy giggled nervously as she handed her bags to the luggage people.

\- Manhattan - Boston, last call! All aboard! – yelled the driver.

\- Okay, I gotta go. – Mindy let out, a little relieved she wouldn't have to deal with this now and here, in a greasy bus platform.

\- Sure... Maybe we can talk when you get back… - He suggested.

\- Uh, yes… okay, let's. – She mused.

\- Go, come on. You don't want to miss your ride. - Danny told her. She grabbed her purse and the bag full of presents and hugged him goodbye. Danny pulled back quickly and laid a kiss on her cheek. - Bye Min, have a safe trip.

\- B... bye. - she answered.

As she hopped on the bus, Danny turned away and headed for the exit ladder of Port Authority. Mindy settled on her seat and immediately looked at the window, down at all the people waving goodbye. Danny wasn't there anymore, but she couldn't be angry at him; he had done enough for her today. She took out her phone and sent him a message: " _Thanks again Danny… Merry Xmas_ "

A few minutes after that, he texted back: " _Merry Christmas. PS: Check your purse_ ".

A little sleepy by now, Mindy re-read the message out loud. What did he mean? She looked down at her giant tote and opened it. She could fit almost her entire arm in there, so she went trough it for a while. Suddenly, a hard unfamiliar object came to touch with her fingers. She took out the little box and opened it. Inside it, a beautiful pair of gold pearl earrings glimmered before the soft light of the morning. Mindy's breath caught, examining the box up-close. The engine of the bus came to life then, roaring its way away from the platform. Mindy hugged the little box tight to her chest, eyes glistening. She took out her phone and was about to text Danny again but the battery died then. She groaned in exasperation (Had she even remembered to pack her charger?) but felt a little relieved. It was all too much for her to handle right now, with what not sleeping in 24hs and all. What had been those questions? And now this gift… It seemed a conversation was now unavoidable between the two of them. But at this moment, all she could think about was putting on her earbuds and iPod and drift off to sleep. As it was to be expected, she fell asleep instantly, grinning to herself as the haze of a million memories about the last couple of hours filled her mind and heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, I'm sorry about all of these days of absence. I had a lot of potential plotlines in my head and I wrote constantly, but when it came to assembling the story it was all bullshit to be honest. Today I sat down and was finally able to write a decent chapter. I worked really hard so I could post this without further delay! I'll try to be more constant from now on! Your reviews would really really help me to keep on going. I'm so close to the end, and I want these last few chapters to be something you can all enjoy! Thank you for the patience and I'm sorry once again! XOXO


	21. Chapter 21

\- Mindy honey, are you coming down any time soon? Dinner's on the table!

\- I'm coming dad! I'll be right there! - She yelled from her former bedroom.

Mindy took a quick glance around the room; it was a really strange experience, seeing her furniture still all in place as she had left them. The room had been turned into a guest room, but little had changed: all her old mystery and romance novels were still up on the shelves, her little stuffed elephant and white duvet had not been moved from her bed, and the wallpaper still remained a pale shade of pink. While contemplating all of this, a fleeting thought crossed her mind: that she, just as that room, had been stuck in that teenage phase. And now it seemed moving on from it was long overdue.

Well, it's not like she was some rotten loser; she  _had_ become a doctor and left home behind at a very early age. But looking back on it now, Mindy realized the only major change she had experienced was packing and unpacking her stuff in a dorm, and later on in her own apartment. The rest was all the same, with a little bit more freedom and a little less Red Bull.

When one thought about it, she had made it through med school only thanks to the likes of Meg Ryan, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Julia Roberts. She daydreamed her way through life studying hard and expecting to someday be rewarded with her own little perfect romantic plot, and in doing so achieving her  _forever after_. And to be honest that childish soul, which some people – that even herself – found to be a charming trait, now weighed on her a little. She would always be cheery, lazy and an easy laugher and that was ok with her. She liked that. But she felt she needed to take one big step towards adulthood still… a step that seemed closer than ever now, waiting for her back in New York.

As she laid her eyes on her phone, Mindy caught a glimpse of the clock and snapped back to reality. She zipped up her crimson dress and slipped on her red velvety cardigan quickly, hoping if she was fast enough her parents wouldn't yell at her again. She then approached her pink vintage vanity and sat down, retouching her make up for the last time.

Mindy took in the reflection in front of her and felt there was something missing: She opened one of the drawers and contemplated the little black box that stood there, open, and encompassing the gold pearl earrings. She took them out and put them on, a big smile flashing across her features. Immediately she grabbed her phone and took a picture of her reflection. At that moment, Rishi entered her room.

\- Oh, would you quit it already?! – Rishi nagged her.

\- Hey, don't you knock anymore little bugger?! – Mindy said, jumping up her seat as if caught red-handed.

\- I've seen everything there is to see Mindy; I'm neither shocked nor 12 anymore. Now, would you please knock it out with the selfies? – Rishi begged.

\- Just one more; I think this one turned out blurry… - Mindy answered absentmindedly, lost in the gadgets of her phone.

\- Mindy, come on! I'm starving and mom won't let me eat until everyone's at the table! – Her brother complained.

Mindy flashed a model-y smile at the mirror and snapped the new picture, showcasing her earrings with one hand on her ears.

\- Min… - Rishi insisted.

\- Yes, okay, okay! I'm ready, let's go – she gave up, ushering him out of her room and smoothing her hair with her palms.

* * *

\- Oh pumpkin, before I forget, here you go. – Her dad handed Mindy an open letter.

\- What's this? – She said with a grin.

\- Casey sent you a card – Her dad added. Mindy's heart dropped to her stomach, and it showed.

\- We might have opened it – Mindy's mom rushed in to add.

\- Ex-queeze me? Why would you do that? – Mindy asked, momentarily outraged.

\- We initially thought it may be directed to us…? – Mindy's mom said as she looked at her husband, both nodding in agreement.

\- Why would you think that? You never even met him! – Mindy claimed.

\- Well, because he was your fiancé and maybe you know… now that you're… he might want to… - Her dad trailed off

\- Now that we broke up he would want to meet you? To what end Avu? – Mindy said, still not believing that ludicrous reason.

\- Connect, catch up – Her mom finished unconvincingly.

\- He  _was_  going to be your husband, honey – Avu added.

\- Ugh, I can't even with you too… you gang up on me with the worst excuses ever… and you smile like puppies and expect to be forgiven! – Mindy sighed.

\- We make you laugh though, don't we? – Her mom pressed on, poking her on the ribs.

\- You are like a lame version of Sonny and Cher if you must know… "The Avu and Swati Comedy hour"! ... Let's just... Let's go have dinner, okay? – She said with a resigned tone.  _God,_ they knew her weak points too well. She could not stay mad at them for more than five minutes.

Her parents rushed over and hugged her and lead her to the dining room.

\- You two are lucky it's Christmas week… - she warned them.

* * *

\- So, what's your plan for New Year's Day darling – Swati asked as she poured some fried rice on her dish. When her daughter did not answer, Swati turned around from the serving table and took a look at her - Mindy?

\- Huh? – Mindy mused. Her mind – and fingers – was too busy texting to even grasp half of what her mother had asked her. She giggled.

\- New Year's Eve – tried Swati again, examining Mindy.

\- Uhm… No, thank you – Mindy replied absentmindedly, her gaze still fixed on her phone.

\- Your mother asked you a question, Mindy. – Avu shouted, slamming his fork on the table. - See? See what I tell you? This is why I said no phones on the table. They get distracted! – He complained, raising his hand to the ceiling. Mindy dropped her phone, a little embarrassed.

\- Stop it, Avu, they are grown ups… - Swati cut him off, slapping his hand lightly on the way back to her chair. She turned to Mindy – But honey, if you could, please leave it on your pocket for a while. Let's talk okay?

\- Um, sure. Sorry mom, sorry dad. – Mindy apologized, blushing a little. She felt like a 10 year old every time she visited them. She was a very obliging daughter, and that had gotten her through med school. Her phone buzzed again but Avu's death stare made it clear the message would go unanswered for the moment being.

\- So, New Year's. Where are you spending it? – Swati asked once again.

\- We have a little party at the office; we all arranged to be back in Manhattan so we could celebrate together – Mindy explained, digging into the homemade chicken curry. – Dad, this is amazing. You have outdone yourself once more – She said, eager to please. – I mean, all these meals have been insane. I ate like a trucker for the entire week but I'm so not sorry! – She added enthusiastically. Her dad merely nodded and kept on eating. It was okay though, he had a soft spot for her primogenitor and those words alone had already melted him inside.

\- Aw, that's sweet! I'm glad you're such a tight group! – Swati mentioned.

\- Yeah _, so sweet_  – Rishi mocked his mom.

\- Shut up, loser – Mindy yelled, throwing a breadstick at Rishi. Rishi laughed and catapulted a baby carrot onto her plate. – OUCH! RISHI! You nearly got me in the eye!

\- Stop it you two! God… it's like we are in high school all over again! – Avu exclaimed. Still, there was a little smile at the edge of his mouth.  _God, he missed having them around._

Rishi and Mindy laughed in silence, looking at each other with mischievously. The cellphone ringed once more then, and Mindy instinctively reached for it. She whipped it out of her pocket and froze, analyzing the mood at the table. They weren't going to let it go.

\- I'm sorry, I have to get this. It's from work. – Mindy lied. – It will be just a second. 8-month pregnant, freaking out, hah…

Mindy opened the message. It read:  _"They suit you v. well. Glad you liked them."_

Mindy couldn't help but smile while writing back, and Swati was looking at her as she did so.  _"I'm sorry I didn't get you anything!"_  she said, and almost instantly her phone buzzed again.  _"You should be. I'm ROFL."_

Mindy cringed.  _What the hell…?._  She typed:  _"What?"_  and Danny fired back: " _ROFL. Really offended for… whatever, I don't remember the last one"._ Mindy had to contain herself from bursting out laughing then, and instead wrote:  _"Oh god… We need to update you on your mobile lingo stat, mister"._

A few seconds later, Danny hadn't answered, but remained online. Mindy worried she might have offended him, but just as she was about to apologize, Danny wrote back:  _"Anytime"._

* * *

Mindy was packing her stuff, already in her pajamas. The bus was leaving for New York the next morning, and she didn't want to make a run for it again. While she was stuffing her luggage with the last remainders of her clothes, something fell to the ground. Mindy got on her knees to reach it, only to discover it was Casey's holiday card. She sat down on the floor, breathing heavily. She had forgotten about it for a couple of hours, caught in the whirlwind of that last meal with her family, then driving Richie to a friend's party, and then of course packing. She opened the card quite carefully, as it were going to bite her.

The front picture of the card showed a beautiful Haitian sunset and inside there was a Polaroid of the hospital Mindy had help built in her time there. In the white rectangle below, Casey had scribbled the following:  _"Merry Xmas darling. A little gift from Haiti: look, it's still standing and going strong! PS: I'm glad our hearts are finally in the right place"._

Mindy clutched the card to her chest, relieved. For a minute there, she had imagined a completely different scenario, and all the ways she would have to think off to turn Casey down. Because, if anything, this card had cleared her head: She still cared about Casey, and a lot, but not in that way anymore.

As she got up from the floor she felt closure for the first time, and a new-found freedom to let herself dream about the future once again.

* * *

Mindy lay on the couch watching TV. She had been having the greatest time watching "Love Actually" (for the one hundredth time probably) when her dad had popped in the living room, demanding they switched to TCM, where they were playing "Meet me in St. Louis". It had been impossible to say no to him, especially since it was her last night there.

So there she was, in the middle of "Have yourself a merry little Christmas", when Avu started snoring really loudly. Mindy looked over to the rocking chair and sure enough, her dad was deeply asleep. She would have been annoyed at this – people dozing off to movies was one of her biggest pet peeves – but today she actually found it adorable. She missed her dad more than she could own up to… and she loved her house, her family dinners, the sound of the crappy, ancient TV… there was an endearment to these old habits now that she was just a visitor. However, it turned out it was indeed impossible to listen to the movie with Avu snoring like that, so she made her way onto the kitchen, tip toeing as to not wake him up.

* * *

\- Mom, what are you doing up at this hour? I thought you were asleep! – Mindy wondered. Swati hushed her daughter and motioned at her to shut the door that connected the living and the kitchen. Mindy did so and settled down opposite her mother on the breakfast bar.

\- I can't sleep without your dad by my side. It's an old age thing – Swati admitted.

\- Aww – Mindy mocked her. Swati pinched her cheeks playfully.

\- I'm making some tea. Would you like some? – Swatti offered.

\- Sure… - Mindy said unconvincingly – Also… Is there any kheer left?

\- Yes but we had that already! – Her mom pointed out while looking for the china.

\- I'm really hungry mom – Mindy begged

\- No wonder… you barely touched your food tonight, with all those phone calls. – Swati mentioned casually as she poured the hot water on the cups.

\- They were texts mom. – Mindy corrected her - Now pass the kheer, c'mon.

Swati handed Mindy her tea and finally caved in, giving her a bowl full of the desert. A few minutes of silence went by while the two women concentrated in their beverages and the now soft sound of Avu's snores.

\- So, who was that texting you? – Swati asked, placing her elbows on the countertop and leaning in to her daughter.

\- What are you talking about? I told you it was a patient. – Mindy said in between bites.

\- I saw your smile back at the table… that was no patient. That was special. – Swati insisted. Mindy kept her eyes on her cup, afraid they would give her away.

\- Ok - Mindy admitted, yet refrained from saying more and just smiled down at her mother. The impatience was palpable.

\- So, who is he? – She asked eagerly. Mindy dropped her spoon on the bowl, faking outrage.

\- Why must it be a he? Why can't it be a she? – She observed, trying to stray the conversation. Her mom sighed.

\- We've talked about this already, darling. You are not a lesbian and – Mindy was about to cut her off but her mother raised her voice a bit - and if you were I'd be fine with it! But let's face it: you have had hidden posters of Robert Downey Jr. up in your bedroom since you were 12.

\- Okay, that's a bit much – Mindy defended herself, clearly losing her battle. Then she went back to her food, poking the little floating chunks of raisins with her spoon.

\- Is he the one who bought you those earrings? – Swati pushed. Mindy looked at her in awe, surprised at the level of detail of her mother's observation. Swati picked this up and explained - You haven't taken those off in the entire week and you brought three pieces of luggage. We Lahiris rarely repeat outfits for the same crowd. And accessories are your strongest suit honey. – She finished, smiling smugly like a fierce lawyer making his final, light-shedding statement to the jury.

\- God mom, ok. You know me. – Mindy granted her. – Happy?

\- I know I know you, but you are harder to decipher than you think darling. You never tell me about your love life since you became an adult. You use to rush home and tell me about all your little crushes on a different boy each week, and how Tommy had ignored you in Calculus so now you were Mark's girlfriend instead… - Swati trailed off. - I miss that. But of course I respect that. I just… I had to start digging in deep. Since you moved out for college, I have to be very astute. Catch your tones when we speak, what you look like when no one is paying attention… That's how I knew.

Mindy fell silent and finished her bowl and tea. Her mom did the same, trying to give her some space to process what she had confessed.

\- What did you think when I was with Casey? – Mindy blurted out. She hadn't meant to, but that infamous card had been hovering around her mind the entire night.

\- I heard happiness, I did. It's just… you seemed happy to finally have a path. But not necessarily excited about who you were sharing that path with. – Swati pointed out mysteriously and then headed to the sink to wash the cups.

\- And now? – Mindy insisted, trying to read her mom's expression from the back. Swati didn't say a word until she finished rinsing the dishes.

\- And now… I see you happy, and maybe a little afraid this is happening to you. - Swati turned to Mindy, grabbing one of her hands – I think you are a little anxious or apprehensive that you might be building up this in your head. – Swati squeezed her hand gently. Mindy's eyes glistened a little under this tough, spot-on truth.

\- I am… - Mindy admitted – I'm scared about the "What if's"… I get the feeling it would be worse than losing anybody else.

\- You can't think like that in life honey, or you would never make a move for anything in the first place. – Swati advised her. Mindy nodded, drying up her eyes. Swati pinched Mindy's cheeks once again and turned to leave the kitchen.

\- You think he could be good for me? – Mindy said. Swati opened the door but turned again to her daughter, with what could be described as a wise smile. She thought about it.

\- I don't know him… But I do love those earrings though. – She pointed out and then left.

Mindy started climbing the stairs to her bedroom, smiling to herself.


	22. Chapter 22

Mindy was on the bus on her way back to Manhattan, counting down the hours left for the party in her head. Her cellphone buzzed then.  _"Are you coming to the party Dr. L? Love – Betsy"_. Mindy texted back:  _"Yes, of course! Already on my way. How was Christmas?"._ Betsy replied with a smiley face, and that's all Mindy needed to know. Just as she was about to put her phone back in her bag, the bus came to an abrupt halt. All the passengers held to their seats as the bus shook violently and stopped altogether. The driver announced it was probably a problem with the belt in the tire, and got out to check. Mindy composed herself as best as she could and made small talk with some people on the bus about the weather and such to distract herself until they were back on the road again. However, a quickly 5 minutes later the driver re-entered the bus and announced that both front tires were busted and that they would have to wait for a tow truck. Mindy listened in horror, as the passengers surrounding her became growingly frustrated and started yelling for a faster solution.

" _It is the 31_ _st_ _, no one is coming!"_ , a southern looking woman yelled from the back.  _"We might as well freeze to death"!_ groaned an old man sitting near Mindy. As the complaints grew larger and angrier, Mindy had the feeling of being stuck in a horror low budget movie. She searched for her phone and just as she was about to text Betsy to come and get her, the signal on the screen died.

\- OH, c'mon! What are the chances? - She whined to her phone, refreshing the little window five times in a row to see if the bars would come back to her. No luck.

\- Okay, everybody calm down! – Shouted the driver – I will go get help and we'll make it out of this as soon as possible. It is my New Year's Eve too people, I too want to see my loved ones. So just… chill. – He said before leaving the bus once again.

Mindy fell on her seat, defeated. Of course this had to happen to her, on this very day and all that it implied. She sighed and looked out the window, wishing someone at Shulman & Associates could read her mind.

* * *

The party was in full swing when Mindy finally arrived, her bus outfit still on and her feet soaked with icy water from the streets. She was dreading this current moment like no other: not only was it already 11,30p.m. - So she had missed most of the party - but also she had been picturing this night in her head like no other. Mindy had spent a good portion of the Christmas week planning to look radiant, fresh and most importantly, sexy as hell because she loved showing off her impeccable winter wardrobe and she had even planned to switch outfits in the middle of the night, as most hostesses at awards shows do. But most of all the obsessive question that run through her head a thousand times was deciding how, where and when to have that pending conversation with Danny. She did not want him to see her like this, with that worn-out hoodie/grey sweatpants ensemble (plus those neon Fat Steps sneakers he hated so much).

She got out of the elevator and took a peek at the practice: Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and the entire place was packed with people.

" _Oh well, what's done is done"_ , she thought to herself.  _"At least you are here now… you can clean up a little and you probably have some decent dresses on your office with their tags still on. Plus, if you sneak in they probably won't even notice you – those jackasses"._

Mindy popped her hoodie on to hide her face and opened the glass doors carefully, trying not to attract any attention. She made herself small and walked through the guests, cursing under her breath as some groups stepped on her sore toes and spilled drinks on her head. When she finally got to her office and closed the door she felt a sense of relieve wash over her, but that only lasted about five seconds. When she flicked the lights on Mindy was startled to find a clearly shocked Betsy and Jeremy on her couch. They had been obviously caught red handed, Betsy smoothing her messy updo and Jeremy hiding his untucked shirt with a pillow.

\- Oh. My. God! - Whispered Mindy in shock - You guys… At a party? What the heck?!... And you have an office of your own Jeremy! Why are you defiling mine?! - Mindy finished with an outraged expression.

\- It felt less wrong here…- Jeremy explained as if it were only logical - You know, since it is not MY workspace precisely, nor Betsy's…

\- I'm so sorry Dr. L! What you must think of me! Oh god… we weren't doing anything, we're not there yet. – Betsy promised her - But it's just we've been at this fooling around for weeks and…

\- Oh Betsy shut up, shut up, shut up! Okay, I forgive you! Just… please don't confide in me so much. Now get decent and scram, okay? I have less than 20 minutes to change into something less hobo-looking - Mindy rushed, going through her closet partly to find an outfit and partly – mostly – to not look at the hot and heavy couple.

Betsy and Jeremy stepped out of her office then, with a sheepish smile and giggling a little as they shut the door.

* * *

Ten minutes later Mindy walked out of her office almost looking like a normal person once again: she had chosen a purple cocktail dress cinched at the waist with a gold belt detail, paired with her usual black heels and of course, her gold pearl earrings. Waltzing through the party she greeted everyone with a smile and a friendly handshake, although she didn't stay put in one place for more than ten seconds. Mindy looked at the clock in the wall and felt an uneasy churn in her stomach: she needed to find Danny before midnight. She bumped into Duncan Deslaurier then, who immediately hugged her way too tightly.

\- Nice… nice to see you too Duncan. Listen, do you happen to know where…? - Mindy struggled to get out under his crushing embrace.

Duncan released her and looked down at her with dead eyes.

\- Daniel? – Mindy nodded, astonished - Yes. I can sense it. He is with my brother. Come with me…- He stated and grabbed Mindy by the elbow.

Duncan and Mindy made their way through the crowd until finally, as if in a high school romance movie, the groups of people opened up in slow motion and Mindy was able to see Danny for the first time. It should have been wonderful, dreamy, epic even…! But it wasn't.

Because what Mindy saw was not a man pacing impatiently looking at his wristwatch, or a sad loner leaning in a counter drinking a neat scotch… What Mindy saw was Dr. Daniel Castellano with his arm around a perfect, leggy blonde creature, and laughing like he was having the time of his life. Around them were Paul Leotard, Brendan and Beverly, all pleasantly staring at the golden couple.

Mindy was still stuck in her place with something of a jetlagged mind, her eyes fixated on the twenty-something woman (and the way Danny's fingers rested on her shoulder) when Duncan dragged her into the group.

\- Everybody, Mindy's here! – Duncan announced. When they all turned around to see her, Mindy felt small, embarrassed, even humiliated. She forced a little smile and waved her hand dismissively, as if begging for people to carry on with their evening.

\- Mindy... I… I was worried! Weren't you supposed to arrive at seven? – asked Danny, without removing his arm from Slutty McSlutterson. Mindy tried to speak but stuttered, a shaky laugh coming out instead.

\- Yes… long story. Ice. Tires… - she mused. – But oh well… I'm here. – She said a little too brightly - Even if you wish I wasn't! hahaha – she finished horribly. They all looked at her with a little concern.

\- Are you okay, Mindy? – Asked Brendan, amused by this sudden change of ambiance.

\- Yes, why wouldn't I be? I mean, my bus got stuck on the way over, I freezed my ass for four hours before the tow truck even came and repaired the goddamned thing… But I'm fine, I made it, I'm here with all of you… lovely, lovely people. – Mindy replied, rushing through her words anxiously and then eyed Danny and Leggy. Something in Danny's expression changed suddenly, like a new realization had settled in his eyes, and he awkwardly removed himself from the blonde woman.

\- Uhm, yes. So… Paul, have you introduced Crystal to Mindy? Mindy, this is Crystal, Paul's sister. – Danny tried awkwardly, pointing like a mad men between the two women.

\- Hi – smiled Crystal, and goddamit, her teeth were just as pristine as her supermodel body. It made perfect sense that she was related to Paul's million dollar smile. Mindy's bottom lip dropped a little, still dumbfounded by this bizarre scenario.

\- Well, guess that is it then… Oh look, it's the countdown already! – Paul pointed out at the computer's screen, which now showed the classic Times Square street packed with cheering crowds. Ryan Seacrest was yelling  _"Are you ready?!"_  and the countdown began. For a fleeting second Mindy's gaze met Danny's, and it was too much for her to handle. She had given herself away and Danny had seen it in her glistening eyes.

Mindy knew her façade would collapse any second now, and she could not stand being there. Taking in a breath, she faked her best smile.

\- You know what guys? I'm… I'm gonna head… - She tried, but nobody was listening to her now, because they were all scattered looking for their significant others. The only people that did not move were Danny and Slutty, who grinned at him with excitement.

Mindy seized that moment and turned on her heels, making her way towards the exit of the practice. The tears were building up against her throat and she felt her composure wouldn't last that much longer. When she was about to reach the glass doors however, she felt a hand on her shoulders. She turned around and saw Danny gasping for air.

\- Where are you going? It's almost midnight! – He said with an apologetic smile.

\- I'm… just, out – Mindy said, irritated by his charms.

\- What? Why? We… - Danny tried.

\- I can't do this, it's too much… - she cried earnestly and turned around once more, heading towards the elevators. Danny stood there for a few seconds, shocked by this sudden and uncommon display of feelings. He had never seen her like this, and he felt he had a lot to do with her state.

\- Mindy, wait! – He yelled after her, but it was too late: When the doors closed in on Mindy's face, Danny could see her bursting into tears, and it set something off in him.

He began running down the stairs like his life depended on it, and got to the main floor of the building in a matter of seconds. When the elevator reached its destination and the doors slid open, Danny did not hesitate once and jumped in before Mindy could even attempt to walk out.

\- Danny what are you doing here? – Mindy asked, confused by his presence. - Go back to the party. They're waiting for you… - She mused.

\- No – Danny assured her, and pushed the "close door" button. – That was not what you think it was…

\- Danny, it doesn't matter. Honestly! … I can't… I can't start the year like this… - she said moving around him, trying to reach for the buttons. Danny blocked her path and she kept on sneaking around him. They were at it for a couple of seconds, like two 5 year-olds playing wrestling.

\- Just… stop! – He yelled, grabbing her by the arms to keep her from moving. Mindy gave up then, and he let out an exasperated groan.

\- What?! – She moaned. – What do you want me to believe Danny?

Danny bore his eyes into hers with an unwavering intensity but said nothing. They stared at each other like that for what seemed like forever as the drunken, joyous screams from the office invaded the elevator. "Three! Two! One!... Happy new yeeeeeaaaaaar!". Danny took in his breath, his mind still deciding, calculating.

– Well Danny? It is a new year and I'm still stuck here with you…. What could you possibly say that...? – Mindy asked, trying to play it cool, but could not finish her sentence.

What followed next was all a bit of a blur: Danny crushed his lips into hers, softly but decisively. That she remembered. She also remembered collapsing at his touch, all the emotions she had been holding back streaming out of her like an unstoppable river breaking through a dam. She felt weak at the knees, and she couldn't think straight anymore.

Danny broke free for a second to look at her face, searching for any indication of whether he should stop.

-There – he whispered softly against her shoulder.

When their eyes met - minds in sync for the first time in years - Mindy's expression had softened and she had curled her fingers around the collar of his shirt. Danny pushed his temple against hers with eyes closed, and he gently nuzzled her cheek with his nose. Mindy let him get closer, cornering her into a wall of the elevator. Still in shock, but responding to his pressing body against her, Mindy leaned in to reach Danny's lips once again. The kiss that proceeded then was different; it was _fire_.

It would have been easy to confuse this moment with her recurrent dream from Haiti, because the same intensity and tingling sensation coursed through her body as his hand tangled in her hair while his other palm caressed her lower back. She felt her skin burn, aching for his touch in every free corner of her body. Her mouth opened up to him playfully, alternating between tasting the tip of his tongue and placing small pecks on the corners of his lips. With her arms around his neck, she scratched his nape and drew him even closer to her, an unspoken proposition to which he agreed enthusiastically. Things were getting out of control and the both knew it, but the lust that consumed them at that moment made every rational decision perish within seconds. Danny reached for Mindy's leg and pulled it up on his hip, drawing small circles on her inner thigh as he pushed her dress up. Just when the hot tips of his fingers were reaching her center, the elevator came to life suddenly, going up in shaky moves.

Alarmed, they parted away with rattled breaths, smoothing their clothes and avoiding each other's gaze, a bit of embarrassment creeping up on them.

When Danny dared to look at Mindy, she seemed to be hyperventilating.

\- Are you okay? – He asked timidly.

\- Yeah – She said, still out of breath - Yeah I'm good… – Mindy reassured him (and herself). She approached him and grabbed him by the arms of the jacket, pulling down a little in a flirting manner. However, the moment was interrupted yet again as the elevator came to a halt and its doors opened. Morgan and the entire practice crew were there, and so was Crystal.

\- Where had you gone guys?! HAPPY NEW YEAR! – Morgan greeted them, pulling Mindy into a bear hug. Everyone got into the elevator and Morgan continued – We are going to the rooftop! Dr. Reed said we are doing tequila shots in the snow! Woo-hoo! – yelled Morgan.

\- Party time, woo-hoo! –Crystal echoed, clinging herself all over Danny. Mindy swallowed hard at this, a leggy reminder of why she was mad at Danny in the first place. Danny looked disappointed, but he let himself be dragged along by a tipsy Crystal onto a lonely side of the rooftop. He did come across Mindy's face one last time though, as she was being carried by a drunken mob in the other direction. To be honest, things did not look good.

That was the last time they saw each other that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, my life has been a mess lately! I hope this hiatus gives me enough inspiration to finish off these last few chaps! Hope you guys like this lame attempt at a story, and as always, comments/suggestions/constructive criticism are always welcomed! Thank you!


	23. Chapter 23

The remainder of the party was catastrophic; Morgan running around naked with his dogs being the cherry on top of a pile of code violations to the building's corridors.

The rooftop was crowded at one point, and most of the doctors noticed the new arrivals were mainly strangers crashing. Still, it didn't keep them from continuing the madness. As for Crystal, she hadn't let Danny of her sight, and she kept on shoving him into corners at every opportunity throwing herself at him. Danny kept on dodging her advances and looking for Mindy, but the place was so packed he could barely spot the rest of the gang.

Mindy had stayed for only a while longer, drinking heavily and hidden in a secluded part of the terrace, but had ultimately decided to bail the first chance she had, her mind still reeling from that elevator rendezvous (And the aftermath of it too, of course).

When she finally locked the door of her house, her back fell against it, slumping down onto the ground, defeated. Mindy stayed there for what felt like forever, her head buried between her knees, her hands numb against the floor.

Soon enough, her cheeks were met by some treacherous tears that she hadn't been able to hold back. That moment right there was exactly what she had been afraid of all along, and now it was happening, and she felt completely lost.

Lost in the silence of her apartment, Mindy let her mind wander around. At some point the exchange she had had with her mother came to mind, and she recalled the fear Swati had seen in her daughter's eyes. _You were goddamn right, mom. That was what I was trying to tell you. Look where I am now? Look what happened: I was caught in a moment of vulnerability, and now I've lost a friend - my dearest friend - forever._

How could they recover from this? And why had he left her so abruptly after such an intense moment? Was she mixing up that resilient idea of Dream Danny with real life? Did she really expect real life Danny to match up to her reveries, and run away with her? She felt herself go crazy just thinking about it.

After a good hour and a half she mustered up enough strength to get up, grab two bottles of wine and sit back down on the floor again. When she finished gulping down the last drop of alcohol, she laid on the ground. With her limbs spread dramatically against the hardwood floors she hummed  _"Halo"_  to herself, breaking down in ugly sobs every now and then.

With this new (well, drunk) outlook, she focused on her "Irish exit": her head ached and she wanted to stab herself with a pencil. She was their boss, goddammit. How would she explain this to the office?

But then she had an epiphany: why  _should_ she explain this to the office? Why should  _she_  feel guilty about what had happened with Danny? Wasn't  _he_  the one who had led her on, being all seducing and charming and smooth-ring-suckering? And wasn't  _she_  the one who had been completely single in this stage of their relationship? And wasn't  _he_  the one flirting with the inappropriate slut that… - Okay, you get the picture: She was pissed at Danny. The point is, this new-found notion lit up the feisty side of Mindy, and so she decided to get up. Slowly, because her head was spinning severely. And okay, she did not let go of the wine bottle, but she got up. One step at a time, right?.

Mindy felt empowered, and "ready to rumble". She was sure there were facts that were unambiguous and unquestionable, one of them being that random make out session. He needed to acknowledge his involvement in that. He could not just do this, crap all over their friendship, and then run away with the next leggy creature that swayed him as if nothing ever happened. She was sick of the dreams, she was sick of the teasing. She needed answers,  _badly_.

She took her keys and approached the door, but came to a halt when she saw her wall clock: It was six a.m.  _"Oh"._  Guess drawing that plan of action had taken a little while. She couldn't show up then: She didn't want to come across as the loony one, let alone run into Crystal in his apartment.

She sighed in frustration and meandered around the house, finally aiming to her bedroom. She forced herself to take a three hour nap and honestly, it wasn't so hard; the wine had left her in a mind squishy and generally drowsy. At nine thirty she got up, made a snack and took a shower. As she was getting dressed she felt pumped with a mixture of excitement and rage.  _Burn Baby Burn... It's Beyonce Pad kick-ass Thai time._

She stood in front of the mirror of the bathroom, clutching a paddle brush on her hand. She used it as a mic.

\- I have two questions! Number one: How dare you?! - She said whilst pointing the index finger at her reflection.

No. That wasn't going to work. Okay, let's regroup. She looked down, cleared her throat and tried again.

\- What exactly do you think you are doing, frenching me and two-timing me, when you have that stupid, whorish…- she stopped herself and raised a hand – Okay... I'm not gonna... okay… That is enough – she closed her hand, raising her fist up to God – Female solidarity. Even if she is a whore. She didn't know any better. Shh, Mindy, shh.

After one hour of scheming various sassy, clever lines, she decided to just wing it and see where the moment would take her. She grabbed her coat, scarf and purse and made a run for it. Okay, she took a taxi. But it was a very tension-filled, Vin Diesel-action-packed ride. Really.

She psyches herself  ** _for war._**

* * *

_"Oh boy"_. That is the first thing that escapes Danny's mouth when he opens up the door, still sleepy and maybe still a little hammered.

\- Yeah, hi Danny – Mindy says before barging in his apartment.

\- Come on in – He adds sarcastically. – What brings you here?

\- Uhm, well, I am begging for New Year's leftovers. – Mindy answers, a snarky tone on her voice. Danny stands there and stares, a cocked eyebrow fixed on his features, waiting for a real explanation. She sighs. - What do you think Im doing here?!

\- I assume this is about… the… elevator thing. – He tries.

\- You assume correctly. – Mindy grants him. Danny exhales sincerely exasperated and closes the door. He walks past her and heads to the kitchen counter, which pisses her off even more. - Danny, what the hell was that?

\- You were complaining about the lacking prospect of a new year so… - he explains lazily as he makes some coffee.

\- Alright – She cuts him, a hand raised in front of her, stopping him - Don't play me, buddy.

\- I… Mindy, I don't know what you want me to say! – He moans and drops his coffee mug.

\- Just, the truth! – She yells at him.

\- What? Like, are you expecting some big speech or like a grand gesture? – Danny points out, a little pissed now too.

\- Oh no, trust me, I gave up on that a loooong time ago. And especially you… - she adds, but now he looks at her defiantly, waiting to hear what comes next. She swallows, and speaks after a beat - I have to make the grand gestures around here! I mean, I came here didn't I?

\- To do what? – He raises his voice.

\- To settle things! – She cries in desperation. Man, this guy is thick.

\- There's nothing to settle. Mindy, c'mon… - he answers with an air of defeat to him.

This cuts her deep, and she feels worthless and utterly confused as to why she even came here in the first place. It shows. He looks down, instantly regretting his comment, but there is nothing left to say to mend things. He takes his coffee and starts pacing through the sofa area. Determined to break this barrier he is building, Mindy pushes through the tears and follows him.

\- I want to know what is it that you want – she states with a deadpan expression on her features. Danny stops walking and faces her.

\- What? – He asks, confused.

\- You heard me – she insists, stomping her feet on the ground.

\- You want to know what I want – He states again, bewildered.

\- YES! Please! Because one minute you are sucking my face, and the next you are waltzing away with a bimbo…

\- That's Paul's sister, I already explained that to you. – Mindy just stares back blankly. – I ended up spending Christmas at Paul's house, she got attached. I didn't do anything! Nothing happened!

\- Whatever – Mindy says, looking down at the floor and biting her lip.

\- No. Not okay Mindy, not whatever. I'm not lying to you. – He insists, desperate to reassure her. He lays a hand on her shoulder, but backs away the minute their eyes meet.

\- You are not answering my questions either. – She tries again. Danny turns away and walks back to the kitchen, but Mindy stays in place.

\- Okay – Danny wipes his face, infuriated – You wanted to know what I want… Do you know what I want? Do you really want to know what I want?

\- That's why I came here, right? – She spits back. He looks like he is about to burst, his eyes black with some heavy emotion.

\- Okay, you got it – Danny agrees, and walks up to Mindy. In four steps he closes the distance between them and with utter determination he crushes his mouth against her. For a minute there she surrenders, but then becomes feisty.

\- No, no no…! – She mouths against his lips and eventually finds the strength to pull him away – That doesn't clarify ANYTHING – she starts hitting him with her purse, tears streaming down her face.

\- Calm down Mindy! – Danny pleads her, a mixture of guilt and frustration washing over him.

He walks away from her once again, restraining his desire to hold her. They both stay quiet for a minute, trying to regain their composure and let the other one breathe. Then, with his back behind her, he speaks.

\- You know what I want Mindy. – He muses.

\- I don't think I do… I don't think I understand… – She whispers back.

-  _I WANT YOU!_  – Danny groans, fed up but also in a loving manner. Mindy looks stunned and self-conscious, her eyes fixed on her shoes. – I want  _you_. You know I do. – He turns to her. Mindy manages to look up at him, to see if he really means it. Danny holds her gaze, and she can tell he is being earnest for the first time.

\- Okay – Mindy mumbles as she grabs her purse. Danny looks at her and back at the purse, feeling crushed after her reaction. He walks slowly to the door of his apartment and opens it up for her. Mindy watches him in silence, and then approaches him.

\- I needed to check – she clarifies, her voice now almost a murmur. He nodds, avoiding her gaze, and waits for her to leave.

\- But she doesn't. She closes the door slowly, and she steps closer to him.

\- What are you doing? – asks Danny, his eyes fixed on her face.

\- Will you just…? – Mindy silences him holding her hands up between them. He tries to read her face, seeking for answers as her two hands now coyly tug at the collar of his shirt. She leans into a surprised Danny and kisses him softly.

This is her answer, and he starts to get it while her lips move against his enticingly, and her entire body shifts closer to him.

A moment of peace surrounds them both: This is not a first kiss. This is not lust. This is a declaration. This is what they both want. Danny wraps her arms around her, pressing her flush against his warm chest. Their lips part a few times, to either peck her nose, or caress his forehead, or just to look at each other in awe.

As they come together again though, the mood starts to shift: The kisses become deeper and Mindy sighs against his mouth, hungry for more. Mindy starts trailing kisses down his neck, making Danny groan ever so slightly. Meanwhile, his hands roam around her body, exploring her and feeling her shiver below them. Without breaking contact, Danny bends his knees slightly and pulls her up to him. Mindy crosses her legs around his hips, supporting herself as he makes a turn and heads for the bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOPE! You ain't dreaming! I finally UPDATED! I am the WORST, i know. I hope at least this chapter makes up for my lack of consistency. I would LOVE to hear all your input. There's only ONE more chapter left. As in the show, my story has 24 episodes, and this last one will include nothing but goodies, if ya' know what I mean. In any case, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for following this story and being so patient with me. I couldn't have made it without you guys, I mean it, really. I want the ending to be a little satisfaction before April 1st comes along! :)
> 
> If you want music to go along with this chapter, I was mainly inspired by: Lakehouse by Of Monster and Men, Halo by Beyonce (that amazing acoustic version) and "QUINTESSENCE" byTheodore Shapiro (Walter Mitty soundtrack)


	24. Chapter 24

Mind-blowing was the word she was searching for, with eyelids still shut, clinging to that last thread of sleep. That was a good word, she thought, definitely accurate to define the moment she had experienced. Mindy closed her eyes with effort, trying to summon the sensations back into her imagination. But this had been no dream.

It had been a bit clumsy at the beginning, sure; but in retrospective,  _mind-blowing_  had overshadowed every other adjective. As soon as they reached the bed, Mindy felt panicky, wondering if she had done enough to be "presentable" for such occasion. However, the minute she saw Danny slip her dress up her hips, with such serenity and reverence as if she were some mystic goddess, every insecurity or concerns she might have had flew up the window.

At the mere touch of his fingers against the lace of her underwear, Mindy trembled in anticipation and that sent Danny to a stop. He looked up at her questioningly, wondering if she was upset or re-thinking things. _Boy_ , he had it all wrong; Mindy found it endearing nonetheless, how he was such a gentleman and was asking for a green light. Mindy took in his face with both hands, pushing him up to her level.  _"C'mon"_  she whispered encouragingly against his ear, and then proceeded to place light kisses along his jaw, then brushing her lips ever so slightly on his neck.

Mindy felt the weight of Danny flush against her body, but her mind was elsewhere, drifting into the sensations that coursed through her, Danny's fingers 100% accountable for that. He found her already ready for him, his fingertips easily stroking her through swollen folds. It didn't take long before Mindy started purring against his ear, a little too loud for her taste, but it couldn't be helped. His index finger was circling her clit, sending shivers along her quivering limbs, and he was truly enjoying the view: seeing her so immersed on his touch aroused him, but most of all filled his chest with pride. Knowing this was his effect on her, it was priceless…

As for Mindy, she felt like a selfish lover, receiving everything and doing nothing in return, but the truth was she could not even move a muscle. Imprisoned under his body, Mindy let herself go as she started feeling the inevitably tempest starting to rise.

_-_   _Da-Danny, I'm ready_ …- She tried with a rattled breath _._

\- Don't worry, I have more for you… but right now, I want to see you come…- He answered in a soft yet determined tone as he increased his ministrations, now deeper and faster. And honestly, that was all it took to send her over the edge: arching her back, she let herself be engulfed in a crushing wave of pleasure, trying to make it last as long as possible, curling her toes and holding on to Danny's shoulder blade.

After that was over, they rolled over and remained there for a while, Mindy breathing heavily against his chest, recomposing herself as the fire extinguished from her mind.

_\- Hey -_  She mused minutes later - Why are you still fully clothed? Not fair _._

- If it bothers you that much, that can be arranged _-_ He laughed against her head, placing a small kiss on her hair.

_-_ Hhm… guess you  _were_  too busy at the moment… Let me take care of that - She suggested, sitting up and caressing his stomach. Danny looked at her, a mixture of amusement and shyness in his features _._

\- C'mon, up up up! - She gestured, raising her own arms as if to show him. When Danny obliged, Mindy accommodated herself on top of him, pulling his shirt over his head.

\- You don't really have to undress me… - Danny chuckled.

\- I think I really ought to, though - Mindy insisted with a wicked grin. She thanked god the piece of clothing went seamlessly through his head, not getting stuck as it often happened when she tried to play sexy. She went on to unbuckle his pants, only to find out he was wearing his pajama pants. -Well that makes it easier - she teased him. He reached a hand over to her, cupping her face and stroking her cheek with one finger. The earnest, vulnerable gaze made her stomach churn, and she could not look away. -  _ **I want you too**  -_ The words escaped her before she could even process them, an answer to an unspoken question. He  _had_  admitted that to her, and it seemed only fair that she reciproacted. She just needed to reassure him that this was no charity case, that she had been cultivating these feelings for god knows how long. All those dreams, ever since Haiti, it seemed like her subconscious knew even before her - You know that, right? - she asked. Danny just smiled a serene grin and pushed a strand of her off her face.

_-_ It's always good to hear it.

The rest, as they say, was history. Or at least that was as far as she could go, because daylight started filtering through her eyelids and she could not stay in that limbo state of reminiscing any longer.

Mindy got off the bed quietly, tiptoeing towards the annoying window that had awakened her. Before her stood a silvery landscape; the snow, wild and pristine, raged from every cloud in the sky and covered the entire city. Thanking her lucky stars for central heating, she pushed the curtains shut in an effort to forget it was still technically daylight out there.

She picked up her purse and Danny's shirt off the ground and entered the bathroom, where she spent a good half hour trying cute poses, and applying an unnoticeable yet large amount of make-up. When she entered the room again Danny was still sleeping soundly in a fetal position, apparently unbothered by the soft rays of light slipping through the curtains and reflecting on his face.

Mindy paced back and forth, arranging the fallen sheets and covering him up to his torso. Once she made sure her bag was left on the same spot where she had picked it up, she reached over to her side of the bed and climbed up, spooning herself against him. She sighed against her pillow, a goofy grin spreading across her features. Seconds later she felt Danny's hand at her waist.

\- What are you laughing about, if I may ask? – He asked with a croaky voice.

\- What? Nothing… - she said dismissively.

\- C'mon… - He insisted, fondling the skin at her waist as he buried his face against her locks.

\- First of all, I was smiling, not laughing - she stated, still facing the wall but pointing her index finger up at him, scowling playfully.

\- Aha…? – he added, his free palm running up and down her spine.

\- And I guess… it's because I got out of the bathroom, and I came around to my side of the bed, and I got in and covered myself.

\- Ok… - Danny answered, clearly confused.

\- I mean… you know I have a bit of a romantic obsession – Mindy clarified as she played with the ends of her hair.

\- Boy, do I know it – Danny laughed.

\- Okay, don't –  _don't ruin this_  - she stopped him, raising a hand in a warning gesture.

\- I'm sorry. – He laughed and kissed her shoulder - Continue, please

\- I just never thought one of those perfect, epic-novel moments could be… such a simple thing. Finding something so mundane so extraordinary… - she explained, trying to put into words the feelings that were clouding her mind.

\- There were some pretty awesome, not-mundane moments before… - Danny joked, trying to relieve the tension off the moment

\- I know, I know. They were – pretty damn awesome if I may say so. – she nodded enthusiastically -But…

\- I know what you mean. – Danny agreed in a more serious tone as he got up on one elbow to stare at her better.

She didn't flinch once as Danny explored her collarbone, shoulders and arms with his fingers in total silence, leaving a soft trace as he moved up to caress her face.

\- It's all so unplanned, and carefree… - she giggled after a while, still staring at the frozen window.

\- Wait, are you wearing make up? – He asked all of a sudden, smearing one finger onto her nose. She shook his hand away, turning to face him for the first time.

\- Hum, yes? Danny, this is my version of carefree, just go with it. Just because this – she gestured between them - is going on, you think I'm becoming a bare beauty? It takes a _loooonng_  time to look as fresh faced as I do, my friend.

\- You know I don't care about that – he frowned. Mindy imitated him and got up on her elbow too.

\- You say that because you haven't ever seen me au-naturel – She warned him.

\- What about all those nights at the hospital? – He tried, feeling a little cheated.

\- BB cream and mascara.  _Always._  – She answered smugly – My public worst is never my worst.

\- You don't need it. – He reassured her, playing with her hand.

\- Thank you, and I believe you. But I like it. And anyway, returning to our matter at hand: Hi five for us, am I right? – She said excitedly and raised her hand. He looked at her; one eyebrow raised, and left her hanging. – I mean… First try and already a sexy success Castellano! – She poked her chest. – You almost beat your… - She started but fell silent, remembering he didn't know about his doppelganger.

\- Who? – Danny asked her, now really intrigued.

\- Mmm… right… I guess I should tell you some things. – She teased.

\- What about? – Danny tried again, pushing Mindy next to him and embracing her.

\- Don't fret, it's really not that bad. Actually, I think you will feel… honored? Anyway, I've been having these dreams… - Mindy started, and Danny listened carefully for the next hour while she confessed what she had been concealing all those months.

Danny felt honored indeed, and relieved to know that he wasn't alone in this… that they had only said goodbye with words, but that they had never left each other's minds, not even half the world away.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTES: That's it folks! I racked my brain for three hours straight to make this as perfect as possible, and I think this is the best result. Honestly, I felt a huge debt towards you amazing people, who stuck by me while this never-ending, hiatus-filled story unfolded itself. I needed to finish this for me, but most of all for you, as a gift and a way to say for the hundreth time "THANK YOU" and also "FUCK YES, THE HIATUS IS OVER!!!!!!!!".
> 
> MUSIC FOR THIS EPISODE: "My body is a cage" and "Supersymmetry" by Arcade Fire.

**Author's Note:**

> I needed to vent a little after that amazing season finale, and I let my imagination run! I am currently obsessed with The Great Gatsby's version of "Back to black" and it helped me set the tone for the first part. Feel free to read while listening to it! I will be adding more chapters soon (if my imagination contributes its part)!


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